


Western Immersion

by crazygirlne



Series: Western Immersion Verse [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fake Marriage, Humor, Romance, Science Fiction, Sharing a Bed, Western
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-20 00:07:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2407910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazygirlne/pseuds/crazygirlne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A visit to an imitation of the Old West gets complicated when the TARDIS goes missing. Will the Doctor and Rose find the TARDIS, or will they have to make a life in the small town they’re confined to?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a ficlet written for stuf0flegnds, and it’ll be about 15 chapters if I follow my outline, but I’m fully willing to let Nine and Rose steer me in whatever direction they wish. A ratings change to Adult is possible near the end because, right, I like having a solid plot, but the characters are in charge, here.
> 
> Betas: The super lovely and awesome Scullywolf and Resile.

Rose ran her hands along the ruffles of her dress as she walked back into the console room. She looked up from fiddling with a particularly large bow to see the Doctor finishing up at the controls.

"Ready, then?" he asked before turning blue eyes in her direction. She caught a hint of an appreciative gleam - _you look beautiful_ \- and then he pasted on his tight-lipped grin.

"Yeah," she answered, smoothing her ruffles again. "You said we were going to the Old West, right?"

"Sort of." He leaned against the console, arms crossed. "It's a planet that specializes in historical immersions. You sign up for a set amount of time, anywhere from a year to a decade, and you spend the duration living in your favorite time period." He grinned again. "Or your least favorite if you're into that sort of thing. Anyway," he continued, turning to reach for something on the other side of the console, "there are fines and jail time and a big hullabaloo if you do anything they consider inaccurate. Mostly these things are based on stereotypes rather than actual historical data."

He turned back to face her, settling a black stetson on his head, and Rose couldn't quite suppress a giggle, one that turned into a full-on laugh at his resulting glare. She managed to compose herself and walk the few steps to the Doctor before placing a gloved hand on his unclad one, ignoring the fact he'd crossed his arms again.

"You look perfectly dashing, Doctor," she said, keeping a straight face for about a second longer than she'd thought she'd be able to. She broke into a wide smile, her tongue touching her teeth, before she added, "Considering."

The look on his face shifted to an attempt at a glare, his mouth a bit too curved to properly convey a lack of amusement, and his eyes…

Rose turned away, feeling her cheeks flush, and fiddled with the frills on her cap.

"Make sure you keep that hat on, Rose," he said, settling his own a little lower on his head. "One of their historical facts for this particular immersion is that every single person wears hats at all times. Sheriff shows up practically instantly if a person steps foot outside without a hat, and there are no excuses, either. When they turn up the wind, either hold on tight or stay inside."

"How long are we planning to stay? Or does the weather just change a lot?"

"Only planning to stay for today," he told her. "But you never know when the person who controls the weather is going to decide it's a good time for a dust storm."

"Okay," she said. Rose looked between the Doctor and the door. "Are we going to go have a look or are we just staying in here and sayin' we visited?"

"We're goin'," he said, turning abruptly and walking toward the door. Rose followed him, her lips curving in anticipation of seeing a new place.

They exited the TARDIS, and Rose looked around, feeling at if she had been dropped straight into a movie set.

Buildings lined the street, if you could call dirt with wheel tracks a street, one building's face blending directly into the next. Each shop was decked out in tiny porch and multiple balconies, with most buildings a shade of red or brown, a few off-white ones thrown in for good measure. Several ancient-looking streetlamps dotted the road. As Rose watched, two women crossed from one shop to another, their hats a matching blue. A tumbleweed followed.

"This is great, Doctor," she said with a grin. He smiled confidently and nodded.

"Thought this might be fair entertainment for someone from your time. For a human, anyway."

She rolled her eyes and glanced back toward the TARDIS, sensing him stiffen before she turned more fully. Beside her, the Doctor turned as well, a hard look on his face as though he already knew what they would see.

In the place they'd just walked from stood a carriage and two horses. One raised and lowered a hoof idly, stirring up dust. The TARDIS, there just moments earlier, was nowhere to be seen.

"Doctor, what happened?"

Rose took a few steps forward, watching the horses, then circled the carriage. When she made it all the way around, the Doctor was still standing, motionless, his eyes closed, brows furrowed.

"Doctor?" she tried again, but there was no response. She reached out to touch him, but he spoke first.

"Need a minute, Rose." His tone perfectly matched his unchanged features.

"Okay," she said, letting him think. She moved back to the carriage and reached out to touch it. It certainly felt normal. She leaned forward to look under the seat. There was nothing there, nothing to see other than a hard, wooden bench. She circled the carriage again, stopping near the head of the horse harnessed on the right, who eyed her before snorting and nodding in a friendly sort of way.

"Don't suppose you could tell me what's going on, could you?" asked Rose with a grin that widened when the horse nodded again. She took off a glove, then reached forward and patted its forehead, surprised at how soft the hair was. "Suppose you probably _could_ tell me if you could talk, or if I could understand you." The horse shook itself gently, and Rose saw a flash of white as a small piece of paper wafted to the ground.

She crouched down slowly.

"You seem nice, Mister Horse," she said as she moved, "so I'll appreciate your not stepping on me whilst I pick this up."

Rose stood again, putting her free hand on the horse's neck while she read the bold script, petting the animal absently.

"TRANSPORT USED FOR ARRIVAL VIOLATES CODE 1.6-B OF DOCUMENT C-8 AND HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH SUITABLE TRANSPORT AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION F OF 'TERMS AND CONTRACTS.'"

"No anachronistic transportation allowed," said the Doctor from immediately behind her. Rose jumped and spun to face him, losing her balance slightly in her heeled boots. The Doctor put a steadying hand on her waist, letting it linger as he pointed at the paper.

"You startled me," said Rose, trying to slow her heart rate, a task that grew easier when he dropped his hand and turned his attention to the equines.

"They took the TARDIS because it didn't fit in this immersion, as if this particular style of carriage were any more accurate."

"Well, we can get it back, right?"

"Course we can," he replied, taking hold of the reins and leading the horses to a large, nearby post, to which he quickly fastened them. "Won't quite be as easy as just getting to it and taking it back, though. They've got an obstruction field here, both dampens and scrambles signals: technological, telepathic, anything they decided doesn't fit this particular immersion. Betting your phone doesn't work, even with my upgrades."

Rose stuck her glove back on to get it out of the way, then picked through the convenient hidden pockets in her dress, searching for her phone while he continued talking.

"My link to the TARDIS, it's been scrambled. She's still here, still in this immersion, but I can't tell where. Not even a general direction."

Rose watched him, phone clasped in her hand and forgotten. He sounded… lost. She put her free hand gently on his arm, and he glanced at her, then frowned at the phone she held.

"Best put that away. Your phone, my sonic: they probably won't register on the automated scans. They do try to follow accurate technology levels, so most of the scans are reserved for major violations, like the TARDIS was. And missing hats, for some bloody reason. Still, if someone actually sees us with something that doesn't belong, it can be reported to the Sheriff. Can't guarantee I can get us out of being locked up if this obstruction field affects the sonic screwdriver. Best not to try it out in the open."

She nodded, glancing at her phone's screen - he was right, there was no signal - before putting it away again.

"What do we do next, then, Doctor?"

"We find out who's in charge of this immersion," he said, striding away from the post and further into town.

"Can they get the TARDIS back for us?"

"Yup," he answered. Rose grabbed ahold of his arm, mimicking the couple she saw strolling along on the other side of the street, and the Doctor adjusted his position slightly to make it easier for her. "Each immersion has a single person in charge. This person controls exits, entrances, violations, contracts. He should have the TARDIS, and, conveniently, he'll also be the only one who can give it back to us."

"Isn't that a lot for one person to be in charge of?"

"More realistic. That way, there's just one person who can't get fully into the immersion. Don't even tell others who this is, because when they tried that, people started askin' for favors. Immersionists in the past suddenly desperately needed televisions, people in the future suddenly needed solid food instead of nutrition packets."

"How are we gonna find out who's in charge here, then?"

"Figure we start by talking to the person who seems most obvious. It's unlikely he'll actually be the one in charge, but we've got to start somewhere."

"And who's the most obvious?"

"The one who handles this period's violations, of course."

"The Sheriff?"

"Yup," he agreed, slowing down to look around. Rose pointed at a building across the street and a bit further ahead, and the Doctor set off again.

"And if he's who my mobile would be reported to," she said, "then he's got to know who handles tech being in the wrong time and place, yeah?"

"Hope so," he answered as they approached a small building, SHERIFF written in large letters across the top. "If we find out it isn't him, then at least we've eliminated a possibility, and maybe we get some information along the way."

"Wait, Doctor," she said, pulling gently at his arm when he moved to reach for the door. He turned to look at her, brow raised.

"What?"

She bit her lip at his impatience; the TARDIS was missing, and it made sense he'd be ready to get back to his ship.

"What happens if we can't get the TARDIS back?"

"We'll look for it ourselves if we have to. Carefully, of course, since being locked up would slow things down a bit, and they aren't afraid to use force on folks who refuse to cooperate or continue to break local law. If we can't find it ourselves," he started, reaching for the door again, turning the handle, and pausing.

"Then what, Doctor?"

"If we can't find her," he continued, "then we're stuck in this town for at least a year." He looked at her. "Hope you like the Old West." He turned away and pushed through the door.

Rose, her hands gone slack, remained where she stood on the porch.

The Sheriff would be able to give them the TARDIS back, she hoped. With the TARDIS, they could always get back home, could return to her mum when she needed, see Mickey, London. It wasn't as if she wasn't willing to travel with the Doctor for a year, and much more time passed in between visits than she'd like to admit, but being stuck in one place and time seemed different, somehow. If she had to be stuck with someone, though… She pictured his strong arms around her in the church in 1987; his bright eyes watching her warmly after an adventure; his cool hand entwined with hers as they walked; a dark room and _I'm so glad I met you_.

Rose took a deep breath and followed her Doctor into the Sheriff's office, hoping for answers, but prepared to make the best of their time here, regardless of what they learned.


	2. Chapter 2

The grain of the wooden door pulled lightly against Rose's gloves as she walked into the sheriff's office.

The room was large, but not excessively so, with three open, empty cells along the back wall. In the middle of the room was a large wooden desk, a few papers strewn across the top. The Doctor was bent over the desk to shuffle through them from the side that allowed him to watch the door. He glanced at Rose as she walked in, then back down at the papers. Nobody else was in the room, and she didn't see anywhere someone could hide from sight.

"Anything worth reading?" she asked.

"Nope."

"Where's the sheriff?"

"Gone," answered the Doctor.

"Yeah, figured that one out. Thanks." Her sarcasm was either missed or ignored. "Where we gonna find him?"

The Doctor grinned. "He's a small-town sheriff. We step outside and ask someone where he is."

Rose felt her lips pull upward on one side in response.

"Sounds like a plan. Sort of."

His smile grew, though his eyes lacked some of the sparkle they held when he was genuinely amused.

He straightened from the desk and nodded at the door, then followed Rose back outside.

"Oi," he hollered, shutting the door behind him and startling both Rose and the young boy who was wearing a tophat and racing along the street.

"Me?" the kid asked, slowing to a stop.

"Depends. Know where we can find the sheriff?"

"It's lunch time, innit?" The kid nodded at a large clock atop a post in the street, positioned in front of what appeared to be the bank. "He's over at Rusty's."

"Thanks," said Rose. "And Rusty's is that way, right?" she asked, pointing toward the way they'd come from.

"You're newcomers 'round here then," he answered, gesturing further down the road instead. "Down that way. Can't miss it."

"Thanks," said Rose again, watching the boy as he ran off. The Doctor strode purposefully toward the direction they'd initially landed. Rose started after him. "Aren't we goin' the other way, Doctor?"

"Dunno how long it will take," he told her without pausing. "Got to get the horses stabled. They probably don't fancy just standing around at the hitching post all day, cart tied to them and all. Would you?"

"Not really," she said, catching hold of his arm while they continued their brisk walk.

They quickly reached the hitching post, and Rose stroked the cream-and-brown horse she was starting to think of as hers. She watched the Doctor untie them from the post, strong, confident movements tempered by his gentle hands as he caressed the horse's neck a moment later, facial features softening briefly.

Rose swallowed and looked away. She really needed to find a way to keep her thoughts about the Doctor platonic. Aside from a brief interaction when they'd first met, a glimmer of interest in Jabe, one Rose wasn't sure how to interpret, he'd not shown any overtly romantic interest in anyone. She didn't know whether he even did… _that_ , and the sooner she could stop hoping for it, on any level, the better off she'd be. Then again, there was that look he sometimes got with her, a soft warmth that made her wonder...

"Don't have to take them far," he said, startling Rose again. She shook her head, bringing her mind back to the present.

"Yeah?"

"Stable's right there," he told he, using his free hand to gesture to a building just a couple dozen steps away, his other hand keeping a firm hold on the lead.

"Right," she said, feeling herself turn pink. They would, she hoped, be out of here soon, and then she could be her normal self. The possibility of being stuck in this town with the Doctor, with the chance of a year's worth of domestics, was making her feel a bit like the stupid ape he'd recently claimed she was. She knew he didn't really think of her that way - _I only take the best. I've got Rose_ \- and she was determined not to act weird now.

"How much to stable the pair?" the Doctor asked the stablemaster.

"Quarter will buy you a week," he responded, handlebar mustache quivering as he spoke.

"Right," said the Doctor, rummaging through pockets. "Don't suppose you take credit sticks?"

"Can't say as I know what a credit stick is," the man replied carefully, face blank.

"'Course not. Here we are," the Doctor said, producing a small handful of rough coins and handing one to the person who took the horses from him. Rose gave her horse one last pat, and then she and the Doctor started back toward their newest destination, arms linked after the Doctor offered an elbow once more.

As they walked, she studied the town. People seemed friendly, happy. Women walked arm-in-arm, as did couples, all with smiles on their faces. Children ran about, each adult keeping an eye on all of the children, making it difficult to tell which child belonged to which parents. There were few adults out alone, those striding purposefully from one building to the next. Every person wore a hat, and many of the men had guns strapped to their waists. Rose looked at the Doctor, who was focused on their destination.

"Are the guns everywhere goin' to be a problem, Doctor?" she asked, and he glanced at her before returning his attention to the road ahead.

"Not likely," he said. "There are gunfights, occasionally, but only between folk who fancy themselves gunslingers. They keep to the road, and everyone else moves inside, just as you'd see in a film."

"That's good," said Rose, lapsing into silence. The Doctor wasn't the chattiest person she'd ever met, though he could certainly go on when he found some topic to explain, but quiet between them never felt quite so…

She shivered.

"Cold?" asked the Doctor, and Rose looked up to see his blue eyes watching her.

"'M fine," she answered. "Just hoping we find the TARDIS soon so everything can go back to normal and we can enjoy ourselves. Town seems great, though, and it'll be fun to have a good look around." The Doctor looked away again, muscles tense under her hand.

"Plenty of time to look around if I can't get you home."

Rose opened her mouth to respond, but she was interrupted by the approach of two women in dresses similar to her own.

"Howdy, ya'll," the woman in purple said, a wide smile on her face. "You folks must be new here."

"Just got here today," answered Rose, coming to a stop, the Doctor following suit with a thin smile.

"Oh, how lovely!" responded the one in green. "You _must_ let us show you around. Your husband can go ahead to Rusty's. It's where all the menfolk go for noon vittles."

"He's not my…" started Rose.

"Sounds like a good plan," said the Doctor. He patted Rose's arm and pulled away. "See you in a bit."

She watched him leave, then turned to the other women.

"Appreciate the offer, and I'd love to take you up on it, but right now I need to go with the Doctor."

"Oh, a doctor!" gushed the purple-clad female. "We've never had two of them in town before."

"He isn't always… I mean…." Rose watched the Doctor disappear into a building about five doors down. "Dunno that he's gonna be doing any doctoring here."

"Oh, you haven't even got your job assignments yet?" asked the woman in green.

"Not yet, um…" She paused. "I'm sorry, didn't catch your names. I'm Rose."

"Oh, goodness gracious me! I'm Petunia," said the woman wearing purple, "and this is Lily. This friendship was meant to be, it was!"

Rose smiled, eyes darting down the street again.

"That's great, really. Look, Petunia, Lily, I've really got to go after the Doctor."

"Oh, very well," Petunia said. "We'll walk you to Rusty's. Can't exactly have a young woman like yourself walking the street by herself. People might think you're unwed and without a chaperone!"

Before Rose could protest, each woman linked an arm with one of hers, and they started meandering toward their destination. Rose kept herself limited to their slow pace, listening to their steady stream of gossip, smiling when appropriate. She and the Doctor could be stuck here, and she reckoned she probably shouldn't give this flowery duo the slip just yet.

"Thanks for walking with me," she told them when they reached the bar. "I'll just go on in, then." She detached herself from the women and turned to wave at them, stopping when she saw their surprised expressions. "What?"

"You're actually going in?" asked Petunia.

"You're not going to wait out here for him?" Lily was incredulous.

"Wasn't planning on it. Why, is that not allowed?"

The two exchanged looks.

"Sure, it's _allowed_ ," said Lily, speaking slowly and carefully as if to a child, "but a proper woman would never willingly enter the saloon. Look at your lovely dress! Clearly you're better than that."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"I _am_ better than that. I'm good enough to know that what you're wearing or where you go to eat doesn't have anything to do with what kind of person you are."

"Well, I never!" declared Petunia, and the two turned neatly and stormed off, finally moving at a reasonable speed.

Rose resisted a second roll of her eyes and turned back to what was obviously some type of bar, now that she was looking at it. It was as good a place as any to get a meal, if the smell was anything to go by. She reached for the door, but it swung open, and she stepped aside to avoid being hit by it. The Doctor emerged, followed closely by a man about his height who wore a large star proclaiming "Sheriff."

"Can't go scaring patrons off," the man was saying. "Not unless you're plannin' on startin' a gunfight, and you ain't even armed."

"Wasn't doing anything to scare anyone off," argued the Doctor. He briefly made eye contact with Rose but didn't acknowledge her, instead facing the sheriff. "Just trying to get what's mine returned to me, that's all."

The sheriff sighed.

"Let's take this conversation to my office."

The Doctor nodded, reached out a hand to take Rose's, then followed the sheriff, who'd already started walking.

"Making friends already, Doctor?" asked Rose. She noticed people looking at their clasped hands disapprovingly, but they'd almost reached the sheriff's office. If people had already noticed them holding hands, surely the remaining distance to their destination wouldn't do any additional harm.

"'Course I am," he answered airily. "Friendliest person around, me." He grinned at her, and she smiled back before they walked through the doorway after the sheriff.

The sheriff moved to sit down behind his desk. When he noticed Rose, he stilled.

"Hello, ma'am," he said, touching the brim of his hat. "Didn't realize this fella was traveling with such a pretty lady." He walked back toward her and held out his hand. Rose looked up at the Doctor, who was frowning at the sheriff, then let go so she could shake hands with the other man, whose eyes widened in response. Rose thought maybe he had expected to kiss her hand instead. She pulled back, letting her arms fall to her sides.

"Sheriff Bob," he said, genuine smile on his face, his eyes not wandering from hers.

" _Bob_? Sheriff _Bob_?" said the Doctor, arms crossed.

"Problem with that?" Bob countered.

"Nope," answered the Doctor with a smirk. Rose elbowed him. "What? Said I didn't have a problem."

The sheriff sat back at the desk and gestured at the wooden chairs on the other side, and the Doctor and Rose sat, the Doctor leaning back in his chair.

"As I was trying to explain back at Rusty's," Bob said without further preamble, "there's no way ya'll are goin' to get your transport back until your immersion contract is up."

"What a coincidence," said the Doctor, producing the psychic paper. "Our contract is up today."

Sheriff Bob eyed the paper skeptically.

"This is my town, Doctor," he said evenly. "I know everyone in it, everything that goes on. Ya'll arrived just today, and the minimum contract for this immersion is one year. Ain't no way you can make me believe your contract's up today, no matter how realistic that paper looks." He started rummaging through some of the papers on his desk, then placed a form in front of each the Doctor and Rose. "Since you seem to have misplaced your original contract, I'll have you sign another. One year contract, I presume?" He handed them each a pen.

"What if we don't want to sign a contract?" asked Rose.

"Well, then you'll spend a fine year in one of my cells," said the sheriff. "And don't think about trying to run off, neither. Can't physically leave the immersion without official transport, and there's nowhere I won't be able to find you. There's a small town and just two bitty farms, with nowhere to hide."

Rose glanced at the Doctor. "But if we sign these, we're free to do what we want as long as we stay in town?"

Bob nodded.

"And obey the rules of the immersion, of course, but yes, that's the deal."

"We'll sign," said the Doctor, face and tone hard as he sat forward. "But we're going to get a waiver and permission to leave early, _with_ our transport."

"Not from me, you ain't," said the sheriff. "I don't issue those and can't tell you who does. My anachronistic incident reports get dealt with somewhere else. I put the paper with the details into its proper place, and it gets sent to the person in charge. Don't ever see the paperwork again unless he wants me to do something different than what I said I would."

"But I thought you said you know everything that goes on in this town," said Rose. "If it's really your town, you'll know who we need to talk to."

"Who handles the waivers, Sheriff?" said the Doctor. The man shrugged.

"Really, folks, I don't rightly know. Might want to try the mayor, though. Isn't him, bit of an idiot, but he does love gossip and might have a few guesses."

"Of course," said the Doctor, still angry. "And where might we find the mayor?"

"He'll be at the shindig in town square tonight," said the sheriff. "That'll be the best place to find him. Can enjoy some dancing with the fine folk of this town, too."

"Well, Rose," said the Doctor, turning toward her, "fancy accompanying me to a dance?"


	3. Chapter 3

_"_ _Well, Rose," said the Doctor, turning toward her, "fancy accompanying me to a dance?"_

"Okay," answered Rose. She blinked at his sudden smile, mirroring it reflexively, and turned back to the sheriff. "Are we dressed all right, for a shindig?"

"Sure are," he answered. He stood from his chair and waited for the Doctor and Rose to do the same. When they did, he gestured toward the door. "If ya'll don't mind," he said, "I didn't get to finish my meal. People will show up at town square around dusk."

The three walked outside, Rose taking the Doctor's arm and watching the sheriff make his way back toward Rusty's without further comment.

"This could get to be habit," she said, squeezing his arm to indicate what she was referring to.

"Mmm," the Doctor agreed. "Isn't the worst custom this town has latched onto. Better than the hat thing." He touched a hand to his own hat.

"Yeah, does seem like they take that one a bit far. They _really_ lock people up if they go out without a hat?"

"Yep." He flashed her a grin. "Everyone agrees to it before coming to the immersion, though, so it isn't often a problem. Just during the windstorms, like I mentioned. That, and when a couple has a row, the women here like to shove their blokes outside without the proper coverings so's they have to spend a night in jail."

Rose laughed and winced simultaneously. "That's either genius or horrible. Can't quite decide."

"Some things are a little bit of both," he responded, smile fading some.

Rose placed her free hand on the Doctor's arm, not needing to understand fully, having picked up enough bits and pieces to make a few guesses on her own.

"So," she said, shifting back to a safer topic, "how long have we got until this dance?"

He glanced up at the sky. "Little over six hours, this time of year."

"All right." She looked at the Doctor, whose eyes were scanning the town. "What are we gonna do 'til then?"

"Roam the town, maybe check out those farms the sheriff mentioned. Want to keep an eye out for the TARDIS, maybe find an out-of-the-way spot to see how well the sonic works. Who knows, maybe we won't have to attend the dance at all."

He smiled at her again, and Rose smiled back, shoving down the minor disappointment at the thought of missing the "shindig." Maybe if they found the TARDIS, they could stay for the dance anyway. Wasn't that she was all that big on them, really, but she couldn't picture the Doctor dancing. Holding someone close as they moved to the beat. Pulling her even closer. Tilting his head toward hers…

"Something wrong, Rose?" The Doctor was watching her, an eyebrow raised, eyes a bit darker than normal.

She shook her head. "Why do you ask?"

"Your heart rate's up, cheeks are flushed."

"Oh." Rose felt her face grow even warmer. "Wait, how'd you know my heart rate's up?"

"Pay attention. That, and I've got better senses than you lot. Humans. Don't know how you get along."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Right. Forgot. You know everything. Know which way to those farms, then?"

"Nope," he answered cheerily, and they set off along the dusty street.

***

Several hours later - hours of walking, trying to strike up conversations, investigating when they could - they'd explored as thoroughly as two strangers in a small town were able, and the sun hung low in the sky. The Doctor and Rose walked into the mass of happy people, passing under a sign that proudly proclaimed, "Deadoak Town Square."

Rose's boots dragged.

"I need to sit," she said, ignoring the Doctor's flash of concern, "just for a minute. Need to get some energy back before we dance." She smiled at him, tongue peeking through her teeth.

"Dancing. Right," he deadpanned, crossing his arms when they came to a stop at one of the empty benches that lined the square. Rose sat, sighing as she took the weight off her abused feet. The boots were comfortable, for boots, but she wished she'd snagged her trainers instead, not that she knew whether they'd have been allowed, anyway.

"What, you don't like dancing?" She widened her eyes, affecting a look of shock. "Well, if you can't dance, suppose I'll have to find some other bloke to dance with so's at least one of us looks like they're fittin' in…"

"Didn't say I _can't_ dance, did I?" Was it possible that he crossed his arms even tighter? "Got moves, me."

Rose wriggled her toes experimentally.

"About five minutes, I look forward to seein' 'em."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, but a smile played at the corner of his mouth.

Rose watched the townspeople interact. Some certainly seemed more in character than others. Clothing, accents, mannerisms all ranged from barely passable to perfect, as best she could tell. She wasn't exactly an expert in whatever this town considered realistic, but probably the trashy western romances she'd read now and then were a good reference for old west stereotypes, right?

Her eyes narrowed at a gentleman around whom people seemed to be congregating. He was dressed well and wearing a red, silky sash that she couldn't quite read; the sun had dipped below the horizon, and the streetlights were sufficient for most things - probably too bright to be realistic - but not quite up to lighting words halfway across the plaza.

She glanced at the Doctor. He was watching her, expression neutral. He raised an eyebrow, and she looked pointedly at the man she'd noticed.

"About time for us to mingle, wouldn't you say, Doctor?" She held out a hand to him, wiggling her fingers slightly, and the Doctor helped her to her feet. Rose shifted her hand away from his and to the safer, upper part of his arm, and they made their way into the heart of the crowd.

"Mayor, did you hear about the Littletons?" the woman nearest the man was saying in a stage whisper as they got into earshot.

"Yes, yes," the mayor answered, a scowl momentarily ruining his confident, interested appearance. "That's old news."

He turned away from the woman in clear dismissal, and her face dropped before she lost herself in the crowd.

Having finally reached the mayor through the press of people, the Doctor spoke.

"Hullo," he said, holding out his right hand to shake the mayor's as Rose continued holding onto his left arm. "I'm the Doctor, and this is Rose. We landed here today, and--"

"That's nice," said the mayor, turning away before the Doctor could say more.

"Mayor," tried Rose, "we could really use your help…" She trailed off when he continued ignoring her. Several townsfolk pressed themselves closer to the mayor, pushing the Doctor and Rose a little farther away from him.

"Okay, folks," came a loud voice from a corner of the square. Rose stood on her tiptoes, leaning on the Doctor for support, and saw a man standing on what appeared to be a stage about level with the heads of most of the crowd, much of the stage obscured by hats. Behind him stood a small band, just a few instruments that looked suspiciously modern but with a coat of brown paint as disguise. "It's time to kick off the dance portion of this evening's shindig! If any persons who aren't participating could kindly make their way to the edge of the square, anyone who wishes to dance should have enough room." The man stopped and grinned. "If _everyone_ decides to dance, well then, we'll just have to make sure that a nice, slow number plays so you can hold your honey _real_ close. And remember, now, no hanky panky from the unmarried couples out there, at least not where our fine sheriff can see."

There were howls and applause, and the crowd shifted, some moving to the benches around the square, others pairing up and getting ready to dance, eager to touch. Rose watched the mayor, who moved to the edge of the dance space and watched the couples closely, clearly enjoying himself.

"Can't tell if he's tryin' to see who wants to dance together of if he's just excited to see the dancing," said Rose, turning to face the Doctor without quite letting go of his arm, "but in case it's the dancing, maybe we can get his attention this way." The Doctor was scanning the crowd as if hoping to see the TARDIS behind someone. She squeezed his arm gently. "You _did_ say you've got moves." Rose glanced back at the mayor, seeing they were within his line of sight, though he didn't seem to have noticed or cared.

She made eye contact with the Doctor, who'd turned to her, finally, eyelids low over dark eyes, hint of a smirk on his lips. He put his free hand at her waist, arm bent slightly, head inclined toward her. Rose bit her lip and hoped he didn't hear her breath catch, even as his smirk grew more pronounced. They shifted slightly, the arm she'd been holding coming up until his hand was on her upper back, Rose's hands moving to his shoulders to mimic the dancers nearest them.

"Rose Tyler," he told her, voice low, "just you wait."

She smiled at him, ignoring the undercurrent of anticipation that was rushing through her.

"Doctor," she said, smile growing until her tongue was trying to escape, "the music's started. We should probably be movin' now."

His eyebrows lowered some, an attempt to glare thoroughly ruined by the gleam in his eyes, the smile that still threatened his mouth. They started shuffling their feet, much more high school dance and much less impressing the audience. Even if this didn't get the mayor's attention, it was nice to be in the Doctor's arms for longer than a quick hug. With her mum, with Mickey, she was used to a lot more hugs and kisses than she got aboard the TARDIS. She treasured the contact she did get, and she didn't need any to enjoy her time with the Doctor, but still, this dance was… nice.

When she looked at the Doctor again, the music changed its tempo, and the Doctor seemed to find his footing, smiling as he started running through more complicated steps. Rose laughed, keeping up with him, following his lead easily, adding in a few little flourishes of her own. He slid his left arm along her right until their hands met, fingers lacing together, bodies pulling close again.

They were both smiling, faces inches apart, brims of their hats nearly touching. Rose's heart rate was a elevated from the exertion, the smell of leather stronger than the ambient scents in the square as even the Doctor got a bit warm.

"Doctor?" she licked her lips, not sure what she was about to say, less sure when she thought his eyes flickered briefly to her mouth.

"Yes, Rose?" he asked when she didn't continue speaking.

"I--"

Rose stopped when she felt a firm tap on her shoulder.

"Hullo, Mayor," said the Doctor, pasting on the grin he liked to use when he was attempting diplomacy. "Fancy seeing you here."

Rose turned to face the mayor, letting go of the Doctor's shoulder when she found he was still holding her hand tightly. There was no other sign that he'd been at all affected by the dance, and Rose found herself wondering, yet again, whether he _could_ be interested that way.

"Hmm, yes," replied the mayor. "The Doctor and Rose, you said? Let's get off the dance floor so we can speak properly."

"Fantastic," the Doctor replied, grin more genuine. They walked the short distance to the edge of the square, hands still linked as they followed the mayor's lead.

They came to a stop, and the mayor spoke before they could.

"I see you two will be a lovely addition to my little town." He beamed at them.

"Is it _your_ town, then?" asked Rose. "I mean, are you able to grant waivers and the like?"

His smile dimmed.

"My dear, I have no clue what waivers you are speaking of. My function as mayor is to make sure I keep the town happy, make sure I know what's going on with the townsfolk. Have to be well-connected for that, have to have people willing to work to keep the town happy, let me know anything that might be of interest."

He was supposed to keep the town happy by ignoring people who asked for his help? He didn't really seem a dependable sort of mayor.

"So then," Rose said, keeping her tone pleasant, "if you're that well connected, putting so much effort into keeping track of the people in your town and what makes them happy, you must know who we can speak to if we need a waiver."

His remaining smile dropped in favor of an outright scowl.

"I've no wish to discuss that further. I focus on the people _in_ this town, not on anything that theoretically exists outside of it. Now, if you'll excuse me," he continued, lifting his chin so that he was literally looking down on them, "I've _important_ people to speak to, those who appreciate how lucky they are to be here."

He turned on a heel and walked away, stiff.

"Fat lot of good he was," said Rose, shifting on feet that were still tender. "Stupid git has his head up his--"

"Rose," said the Doctor, and she looked up to find him watching her. "Let's find a place for you to rest for the night, get off those feet of yours. Humans, so fragile."

"Not that fragile," muttered Rose, and they set off to find a place to stay.


	4. Chapter 4

On their way out of the town square, Rose stopped to speak to someone who looked friendly and wasn't occupied with a dance.

"Excuse me," she said, smiling at the woman. "Hi there, I'm Rose. Is there somewhere to stay for the night, like a hotel or something?"

"Yes," the woman answered, a shy smile crossing her face. "Newcomers usually stay at Deadoak Hotel. Only place to stay in town, really, until you find someplace more permanent."

"Thanks," said Rose. "Um… Which way is that, again?"

"You folks didn't read your information packets very well," the woman answered, her kind smile softening any offense. "Go down Main Street until you get to the post office. Take a right on Downy Lane, and it's on the left, beside the next streetlamp."

"Thanks again," Rose replied. She glanced at the Doctor, who was standing next to her, letting her put some of her weight on his arm, smiling his perfunctory smile. She moved to leave, and then the woman spoke again.

"I'm Lea," she said. "If you need anything else, I'm a barmaid down at Rusty's."

"I'll remember that."

With a last smile and a wave, Rose and the Doctor finally left the crowded square.

"So," she said when the ambient noise had dropped enough to allow for a normal speaking voice, "when we were walking before, I saw you try out the sonic, but then those blokes came up and I didn't get a chance to ask: did it work?"

The Doctor frowned. "Not properly, no. Might loosen a lock, maybe, but probably won't even open a door. The field is scrambling advanced signals almost completely. If I can find enough contraband parts, I might be able to do some jiggery pokery, get it working enough to get us out of a pinch."

"Not that we ever get into pinches, right?" Rose asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"Avoid pinches, me." He smirked, and Rose lost her composure, laugh echoing along the deserted street. When she was able to stop laughing, she looked up at the Doctor, who was watching her with a soft smile on his face, a warm look in his eyes. She grinned back at him, and they walked in silence for a few steps before the Doctor looked away. "Here's our turn."

They walked down the smaller street. A few businesses lined the road, but they gave way to houses immediately after the well-lit hotel. The Doctor and Rose entered the unlocked front door, Rose suddenly aware of the fact that she was entering a hotel, after dark, alone with someone she…

They'd spent the night together before, when their adventures demanded it, of course -- not that they'd be _together_ here -- but this felt rather a good deal more domestic, choosing to stay the night in the same building. It wasn't like on the TARDIS; the ship was how they traveled, and they did need to sleep sometimes. This felt different.

The lobby was dim, and a bored-looking clerk sat behind a narrow counter. He was about Rose's age, thin, with hair that fell just below his ears, and he wore a red vest and a pin that identified him as Rupert.

"Hello," she said as they approached the counter. "We need a couple of rooms for the night, thanks."

Rupert nodded, a glimmer of interest shut down by the Doctor's stare. He looked down at some papers in front of him, then looked up again, blinking.

"Wait, you want more than one room?"

"Don't you have more than one?" Rose asked. "Seems like there aren't many new people 'round here right now."

"Well-- I don't--" He looked between the two of them. "Are you her father, then?" he asked the Doctor.

"What? No," blurted Rose.

"No," said the Doctor, firmly.

"Then ya'll are married, right? Cause women aren't allowed to travel without having a chaperone, and there's no way pretty girl like you could be chaperoned by a man who ain't her husband." He blushed, ducking his head and covering his face with his brown mop of hair.

She frowned. "What are you--"

"A room for me and the missus will be fine, thanks," the Doctor interrupted her. "We like to get separate rooms when we travel, but we can share if it'll be a problem." He glanced at Rose, then around the empty room, leaning in conspiratorially toward Rupert and speaking again in a loud whisper. "She snores. Loudly."

"Oi," protested Rose, elbowing him, and he looked at her seriously.

"He needs to know in the event they get noise complaints like the last place we stayed."

"I suppose there's not likely to be a toaster here for you to catch fire," she returned, tongue creeping between her teeth as she recalled a recent visit to a future Earth-like planet.

He turned back to the clerk. "It was better off on fire. Trust me."

The young clerk stared, hand frozen in reaching for a pen.

"We're joking," she said, patting the Doctor's arm and trying to look non-threatening. "We won't cause any trouble, okay?"

"Alright," he said, cautiously sliding paper and pen in front of the Doctor. "Need your signature anywhere on the page, and it'll be fifty cents for the night."

"Ah." The Doctor rummaged through pockets, bringing out the remaining coins and handing them over. "Last we've got," he told Rose while signing the blank paper.

"Then I just need you to print your names here," said Rupert, putting a large book in front of them, long lines filled with names of recent guests. She watched the Doctor sign them in -- Doctor and Mrs. Tyler -- and her mouth went dry.

She'd already been having trouble not thinking of him _that way_ , and they were about to share a room for the night?

"Your room is 204. Up the stairs, even numbers are on the right. Facilities are at the end of the hall." He nodded to a narrow stairway at the back of the lobby, then busied himself with his paperwork again in clear dismissal.

When they reached the stairs, Rose let go of the Doctor and went first, holding on to the railing. Maybe it would be separate beds, at least. That was normal in old towns, right? People didn't sleep in the same bed all the time, she was certain she'd read. Almost certain. When she got to their door, the Doctor held out a key, and Rose unlocked it and stepped in.

A lamp had been left lit so they could see. A glance behind her showed that the small room made the Doctor seem very large.

The small room they would be sharing, posing as a married couple.

The small room with one, tiny bed and no other furniture but a dresser and a miniscule bedside table holding a lamp. The single bed left barely enough room for someone to scoot along each edge, and not much more room between the foot of the bed and the dresser.

The Doctor shut the door behind him, locking it and leaving the key in the knob. He quickly scanned the room, then smiled tightly at Rose.

"Home, sweet home." He leaned against the wall next to the door, arms crossed. Rose chuckled nervously.

"Doesn't really compare to the TARDIS, does it?"

"Not much does."

"That's true." Rose sat on the end of the bed, picking at a thumbnail, and the Doctor watched her.

"Rose," he said, waiting for her to look at him properly before he continued. "You don't need to be uncomfortable. Floor suits me just fine." He grinned at her.

Rose shook her head. "Room's too small. Isn't even somewhere you can properly lie down."

"Then I'll sit. Don't need much sleep, me."

She shook her head again. "You haven't really slept since… Since you got taken by the reaper, yeah? You need to sleep. Doesn't seem like we can get two rooms, least not without making a fuss, and what if we're stuck here for more than just tonight? Besides, I've shared a bed with mates before. No big deal." She felt a little more convinced she could handle herself after voicing the words. She looked back at the Doctor, who continued studying her.

"We've shared a room before, and you didn't seem terribly uncomfortable."

"We've shared a jail cell before. Bit different."

"True," he said, glancing at the floral quilt and then back at Rose. Were his eyes darker, or was she projecting her own desires onto him? She cleared her throat.

"Right. So," she said, voice more confident than she felt, "don't have a book or telly in here, and I'm knackered anyway. Gonna go use the loo and then get some sleep."

The Doctor nodded, and she stood, unlocking the door and walking to the end of the hall. She finished quickly, splashing some cool water on her face before heading back to the room.

She walked back in, locking the door, taking a breath before turning around. She would _not_ spend the whole time feeling like a lovesick teenager. She refused. She faced the room. The Doctor's jacket was draped over the dresser, and he was in bed, quilt pulled up to the chest of his maroon jumper. Enough empty space for a child remained beside him.

Rose swallowed, then made her way the few steps to the bed, gingerly lifting the quilt and scooting in beside him. He moved a little closer to his edge, and she was able to get herself entirely on the mattress, one whole side of her body pressed against the Doctor's.

_Just mates. That's all. No big deal_ , she repeated to herself.

"Rose?" The Doctor sounded concerned.

"Yeah?"

"You all right? You weren't breathing."

The air rushed out of her.

"Yeah. Fine."

The Doctor turned off the lamp, and the room was plunged into darkness. She could hear his slow, steady breath, smell the lingering scent of leather, hear her heart beating loudly. She closed her eyes and focused on taking even breaths. This seemed so much easier for him.

"Doctor?" Her voice was soft in the dark.

"Hmm?"

"Do you do this a lot? Sleep with people, I mean?"

"Well," he answered, "I share a bed more often than I actually _sleep_ with someone."

Rose was silent, processing his words, and she felt him turn on his side so he was facing her.

"I meant cause I don't sleep often," he said, amusement seeping into his voice. "Humans. Obsessed with sex, the lot of you."

"Are Time Lords? Or… I mean… do you…" She was glad he probably couldn't see her blushing, though given how hot her face felt, it was possible she glowed.

"Do I ever share a bed for fun, you mean?" he asked, words a little rougher but still amused.

"Yeah."

"I'm nine hundred years old, Rose. What do you think?"

"Right," she said, falling silent again.

If she took that as a yes, then that meant that he could be attracted to people. Was he attracted to her? If he didn't like her that way, would she muck things up if he knew how she felt? She'd rather have him as a friend, a companion, than not at all.

Though they weren't touching while he was on his side, she could still sense him, feel where the bed dipped under his weight, the slight heat radiating from his cooler-than-human body. He rolled to his back, his side pressing against her once more. She could feel hard muscle under soft cloth, and she wondered what he would feel like, if she skimmed her fingers along his chest, slipped them under his shirt, her warmer skin against his…

_Think of something else_ , she ordered herself. She pictured the smile he wore when something genuinely amused him, the look of admiration -- sometimes laced with frustration -- he wore when she took a stand, felt his steady presence, his hand in hers. There were moments of darkness, almost desperation, and moments of joy and delight, celebratory hugs with her whole body pressed against him…

She felt a rush of heat and suppressed a groan. Maybe it had just been much too long. That's why she couldn't keep her mind off the physical, especially with the Doctor. If he did _that_ , if he wanted to do that with _her_ , surely he'd have made it clear by now. He must not want her that way. And that was fine, really, just--

"Rose?"

She started at the sudden noise.

"Yeah?"

He took a long breath. "Goodnight."

She released her own breath. "Goodnight, Doctor."

Rose rolled to her side, facing away from him. Sleep. That's what she needed right now. She'd get some sleep, and in the morning, they'd find a way to get the TARDIS, and everything would go back to normal.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thump-thump-thump-thump. Thump-thump-thump-thump._

Rose woke to the sound of rhythmic beating under her ear. She opened her eyes only briefly, closing them against the light that shone directly on her face through the tiny window. She listened to the reassuring thumps as she finished waking. Her room smelled divine, like soap and a sharp spice and something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She snuggled her nose into her pillow, pulling it closer with the arm she'd flung over it, and froze.

Her hand, rather than touching the soft, cloth covering of her pillow, seemed to be in contact with cool skin.

The beating she could hear was suddenly muffled by a chuckle, and she opened her eyes cautiously, tilting her head upward until she could see the Doctor smirking just a few inches from her own face.

"Good morning," he said, using the same cheerful tone with which he usually greeted her when she stumbled into the galley in the mornings.

She remained still, trying to figure out what was going on.

Right. She was in a hotel room with the Doctor. The bed was tiny and Rose often slept with a body pillow, so it was really no surprise she'd ended up tossing an arm over him.

That her leg seemed to be over his, that her hand had made its way under his shirt and seemed to be resting mid-way up his torso…

Those were a little more surprising. Or perhaps not, given her thoughts before she'd drifted off. She flushed, a delayed reaction. She pulled her hand away, but since her weight pinned his jumper to the bed, there wasn't much room under his clothing, and her fingers trailed along his firm chest, traced the stomach that sucked in at her gentle touch.

The Doctor's face didn't change as she finished untangling herself from him, and she looked down at the quilt when she'd shifted to a sitting position, making sure her dress, quite rumpled by now, hadn't come up too high in the process.

"Sleep well?" he asked in the same happy voice, apparently unaffected by the fact that Rose had chosen to cuddle with him in her sleep. Had he still been asleep, too, or was he already awake when she'd rolled on to him?

"Yeah," Rose answered, wiping her mouth absently before blushing again. Had she _drooled_ on him? She glanced at his chest, relaxing when it seemed to be dry. "What, um… What about you?"

"Not bad, considering."

He rolled to his side to reach over the edge of the bed, his jumper rising as he twisted, exposing skin that Rose quickly turned away from. She looked down at the floor on her side and saw her hat. Had she even taken it off before bed?

"Considering what?" she asked, grabbing her hat and standing from the bed, trying in vain to smooth some of the wrinkles from her dress. She wouldn't be able to sleep in it again if she needed to keep wearing it, but if they'd used the last of their money on this hotel room, she wouldn't exactly be able to buy pyjamas, would she?

"TARDIS usually helps me sleep," he said, and she glanced his direction. He'd put the hat back on his head, and he was making the bed. She helped, and the few seconds it took to make the bed were quiet. "Wasn't as bad as it would have been alone, though," he added, voice level. "Thanks." He looked up at her, blue eyes warm.

"Don't mention it," she mumbled.

A smile crept across the Doctor's face.

"I'll admit, though," he said, "might've been even easier to sleep without all that snoring."

"Oi!" she said, snatching the pillow from the bed and throwing it toward him with a laugh.

***

They'd wandered the town looking for a sign of the TARDIS, the Doctor feeling for any change in his connection, but it remained fuzzy, dampened by the town's obstructing field.

"Probably meant to disable any electronic connection completely," said the Doctor while they walked a less crowded part of the street. "It isn't designed to block telepathy, though, so instead of being gone, the connection's… confused. The translation circuit's still working, at any rate."

"They're not talking in English?" Rose had thought she'd no longer be surprised by that fact.

"Nope. It's closer to an evolved form of German, with a bit of Chinese thrown in, a smidge of French."

"A smidge," repeated Rose. "That's an exact term of measurement?"

"Course it is," he answered, expression serious. "Less than a bit, more than a tad."

Rose smiled widely at him, then paused. She sniffed and then inhaled deeply.

"That smells gorgeous," she said, quickly identifying Rusty's as the source. "Care to join me for a bit of a meal, Doctor?"

"Maybe just a tad."

It was late morning, a little earlier than Rose normally liked to eat, but the breakfast supplied in the hotel lobby had been miniscule and less than satisfying. There were few people around the saloon at this time of day, apparently, so she figured there was less risk for people like the flower twins to see her and complain about what sorts of women were allowed in bars.

They walked in, pushing through the swinging doors, and Rose's mouth watered. Lea looked up from wiping the counter, her shoulder-length, dark brown hair disheveled around her bonnet. Her dress was worn, mended, serviceable, and clean. When she saw Rose and the Doctor, she smiled.

"Hello there," she said, tucking the rag into her apron and walking over to greet them, zig-zagging around the almost-empty tables in the dining area. "Rose, right?"

"Yeah, hullo Lea," answered Rose, returning her smile.

"And Doctor…?"

"Just the Doctor," he supplied helpfully.

"Alrighty, then," said Lea. "Can I get you folks something to eat? You look a mite peckish."

"Please, I'm starved," she said. "The food at the hotel-" She stopped. "How are we gonna pay for this?" she asked the Doctor, who turned to Lea.

"Don't suppose you accept Gafrashian currency here."

"Nope, 'fraid not."

"Didn't think so." He smiled his tight smile.

Lea looked around, and Rose followed her gaze. The room was empty but for three men, two at one table and one sitting alone. Lea stared at the man sitting by himself for a moment, seemingly unaware of the smile that crossed her features.

"Boss is out," she said, turning back to them. "Special of the day is stew, same as always. Big pot of it, and not too many customers come in following the town shindigs. Wears everyone out. You folks have a seat. I won't let you go hungry when the food will just get tossed out anyway."

Lea moved back behind the counter, and the Doctor and Rose sat across from each other at an empty table in the middle of the room. Rose studied the other occupants of the saloon. The two men sitting together seemed to be discussing horses, hats large enough to hide their features. The man sitting by himself had dark hair and a face that was almost pretty. He seemed occupied with various papers, carefully eating his stew over his bowl, hat far enough back from his face that it looked as if it might slip. Lea returned with two steaming bowls and two spoons, and she set them down at the table.

"Here you are," she said, linking her hands behind her back. "So, if you don't mind my askin', I was wondering what ya'll were planning to do for food and lodgin'. If you don't have enough for a meal, figure you might be hurtin'."

"I'm not really… sure." Rose fiddled with her earing, readying a spoonful of stew so it could cool.

"How'd you folks end up here without anything?"

"Came with plenty," said the Doctor, swallowing a bite.

"Our ship didn't fit in the immersion, so they took it," Rose explained, "and nobody can tell us who we need to talk to in order to get it back. Had everything on it, all but what we were wearing."

"Don't even have a change of clothes, then?" Lea asked, expression empathetic rather than pitying.

"No," answered Rose. She took a bite of her meal and moaned, closing her eyes. "Oh, this is perfect, though." When she opened her eyes, the Doctor was staring at her.

He grinned. "Good, isn't it?"

"Mmm. Thank you," she told the barmaid.

"Happy to help how I can." Lea paused. "You should talk to Si- To Mr. Bartl. He owns the general store, and he's been looking for a shop girl for a while now. Don't know that it's something you'd be interested in, but it'd pay enough to get you folks set up. Houses are pretty cheap here, seein' as the population stays pretty steady and there's usually a few places empty, so you wouldn't have to work too long before you can get out of that hotel. Bank's pretty fair about loans, too, since you can't exactly go nowhere without payin' up."

"I'd be happy to offer you that job." The dark-haired man had come to stand just behind Lea, who blushed at his soft voice. "Simon Bartl," he said, holding out his hand to shake each of their hands. "We've had just a few newcomers in the past few months, and they all came with extra funds, not looking for work, so I've been out of luck."

"Thanks," said Rose. "I, um… I don't know how long we're gonna be here…"

"There aren't many places to go. If you'd rather not commit to a certain amount of time, though, that's okay. I'd really appreciate the help, even if it's only for a short while."

Rose hesitated. It wasn't as if she wasn't willing to work if that's what they needed to do, and she was the first to get a job offer. It was just that she hadn't pictured being a shop girl again, stuck on the ground, selling clothes and the like.

"I couldn't help overhearing you don't even have a change of clothes or continued lodging," Mr. Bartl added. "I can give you a couple outfits, plus enough of an advance to get you a week at the hotel, against your first paycheck." He watched her and seemed to sense her reluctance. "I'll give you a few minutes to decide. I need to go settle my tab." He followed Lea back to the counter, leaving the Doctor and Rose to speak.

"Don't have to take the job, Rose. Always figure something out. Genius, me."

"Lea probably would've mentioned if there were other jobs, though, yeah?" She sighed. "Makes sense, anyway. Least one of us should be looking for the TARDIS, and if we're both looking for it, how are we gonna pay for what we need while we're stuck here? I'll take the job." She fixed him with a stare. "You are _so_ gonna owe me, though."

"Oh, definitely," he said, donning a small smile, that soft look in his eyes again. He didn't look away, and neither did she. A slow warmth filled her, contentment, trust, happiness, and…

"Those two are so in love," came a loud voice at her elbow, making Rose jump, "and they're the only two who don't know it."

One of the men from the other table had come over to theirs, and he now leaned in to share more gossip.

"Store owner and barmaid, it's quite the scandal." He wriggled his eyebrows. "Heard ya'll folks were looking for the Big Man, the one who calls the shots," he continued in a whisper. "Can't rightly say who it is, but I've got a few guesses, if'n you want to hear them."

"That'd be a help, yeah," said the Doctor, sliding his empty bowl away. Rose continued working on her own bowl of food as she listened.

"Well, there's old Bob O'Riley. He works over at the post office, and he handles all correspondence in and out of town, so he's a prime suspect. Then there's Pauly Smith. Doesn't really do anything special, Pauly, but he always looks like he _knows_ something, you know what I mean?"

Mr. Bartl returned to the table, and the stranger quieted.

"Ma'am," Simon said to Rose, "I need to get back to the store. If you're willing to take the job, this would be an ideal time for me to show you around, let you pick out something to wear before the evening rush. Won't expect you to work tonight, but this way, you can come in tomorrow ready to do what needs to be done. That is, if the job will suit you." He waited patiently for her response.

Rose exhaled slowly. "Yeah, I'll take the job. Thanks, Mr. Bartl." She turned to the Doctor. "You'll tell me if you find… anything?"

"Of course, Rose. I'll meet you at the store when I'm finished."

And then they'd go back to the hotel room and share that tiny bed once more. Right. She swallowed, bit her lip, then nodded, standing and turning to face Simon.

"Okay, Mr. Bartl, I'd love to see your store."

He gave a pleased nod, and Rose glanced once at the Doctor, already back to conversing with the gossip, then followed her new boss out the doors.


	6. Chapter 6

Rose and her new boss walked to the general store without speaking. Simon Bartl didn't seem unfriendly as much as preoccupied, rifling through papers rather than watching where they were going. Twice he pressed his hat back on his head just before it fell off, and when they finally reached the well-marked store, he nearly passed it.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bartl, but this is where we're going, yeah?" asked Rose, pointing.

"Oh, yes. My apologies." He turned and walked into the unlocked store, absently flipping a "Closed" sign to display "Open" instead. Rose followed. He made his way through the store, which was well lit, packed, and organized. At the back was a small office, paperwork piled high.

"That's a lot of papers," Rose commented.

"Oh." Simon surveyed his office, then placed the stack of papers he'd been carrying down on his desk. "Yes, I suppose it is. I like having detailed records of anything that comes in or out of the store. I also keep copies of requests, trends, and what other goods in town are going for so that I can adjust my prices according to market value."

"Makes sense," said Rose. "Will I be helping with any of that, or…"

"I prefer to handle most of it myself," he said. "You'll write down any requests that come in while I'm out, and part of running the store is keeping track of what's sold, but I only need you to write the name of the item and who purchased it." He closed the door to his office and turned to face Rose. "Your duties will include keeping the shop tidy, helping customers find what they need, and completing transactions. Each item's price is clearly marked. Are you familiar with the currency exchange system here?"

"Haven't got to use it much yet. Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all." He led her to a small counter near the front door. In the middle of the counter was an old-fashioned register. To one side rested several informational leaflets. "New arrivals don't usually take long to make their way in here. They've always forgotten something. I like to keep things here to help them out. These have information about the currency, a town map, rules and customs, all a bit more simplified than what's in the packets you get before arrival."

"You make these yourself?"

"Lea helps. She's much more observant of the social niceties than I am." He seemed unaware of his smile. "Feel free to browse the information, take copies home with you, if you'd like. You should study the currency, at least, and some of the basic expectations for interaction before your shift tomorrow."

"Yeah, of course," said Rose, picking up the relevant leaflets and trying not to make a face. It wasn't that she didn't like to learn, but she'd become quite used to the hands-on version of it she got to experience with the Doctor.

Simon spent a few minutes showing her around the shop. There was a fair selection of clothing, an assortment of household goods. One section held crafting supplies: paper, cloth, yarn, various tools to go along with these. There was a small shelf of food.

"I need to complete some paperwork," said Simon, finally. "If anybody comes in, you may try to help them or come find me. When you've chosen what clothing you'd like, just make a note of it as if you purchased it. When you are ready to leave, let me know. I'll find you an escort back to the hotel if your husband hasn't arrived."

"Okay. Thanks," she said. _Husband_. She thought for a moment, frowning slightly. "Is it okay for me and you to be here alone?"

He nodded absently. "Were you single, people might have some objection. The townsfolk tend to see me simply as the owner of this store, not as a threat to virtue."

"Think Lea might see you as a bit more than that," ventured Rose.

Simon blushed, then shook his head. "She cares for everybody. I don't think I'm really an exception. If you'll excuse me, then?" He turned and walked quickly to his office, shutting the door behind him.

How could two people care so much for each other and be so clueless about it?

Rose walked over to the clothing selection and quickly chose a functional-yet-feminine dress for herself in pink. She took a little longer in choosing sleepwear, finally settling on pyjamas that would cover everything and were made of some sort of silky material she hoped wouldn't cling too badly.

She moved over to the men's section. Should she chose clothes for the Doctor, too? Without the TARDIS, with the sonic not really working properly, he was going to need a change of clothes, right?

She found a jumper that looked much like the ones he favored, this one in a light blue she suspected would match his eyes. There were dark trousers, and she felt her face heat as she chose a size, unwilling to admit to herself how often her gaze ended up landing on the Doctor's arse.

What did the Doctor sleep in, normally? He slept so much less than she did, and she'd never seen him in anything but normal clothing. She grabbed a pair of black, cotton pyjama bottoms, trying not to think about it too much.

Rose moved to the counter, marking her purchases in the log book that was under the register, then got to work, memorizing the leaflets and the layout of the store's goods. Hours passed quickly, and when the door opened, a bell jangling in the process, Rose jumped.

Lea entered the store, waving at someone behind her, friendly smile crossing her face when she turned and saw Rose. "Hi there!" she said, walking over to where Rose stood behind the counter. "Getting settled in okay?"

"Yeah. I think I've got everything figured out. Hasn't really been anyone in the store yet."

"I'm sure you've got it," Lea said, nodding. "It's those shindigs. They go until all hours of the night, so nobody wants to do much of anything the day after, including shop." She hesitated. "I've got a few hours off work in between shifts. There's a few of us, ones that don't get so carried away at the get togethers, we meet up for the evening meal. I know Mr. Bartl wasn't expecting you to work tonight, so I'm sure he won't mind if I take you, get you out of this store." She looked around. "Always thought it was a mite creepy when it wasn't busy."

Rose chuckled. "Believe me, I've seen some crazy things in empty shops. I'd love to join you, but the Doctor's supposed to be meeting me here…"

"Mr. Bartl will be able to tell him where to find you. He usually joins us after he closes up shop. It's about the only time he's ever without all that paperwork of his." She smiled fondly.

"Okay, then. Let me just go tell him I'm off."

***

Minutes later, the women walked, arms linked, down the street, the bag with her purchases on Rose's other arm.

"So," said Rose, "you and Simon Bartl, you seem fond of each other."

"Oh. Well, I mean, he does so much for this town, how could I not be fond of him?"

"Seems like a little more than that, though," Rose pressed.

Lea shook her head. "He's just nice, that's all. He pretends not to, but he cares about folks, you know? Anyway, enough about that. Tell me about you and the Doctor. How'd you meet your husband?"

"Um, well, I worked in a shop, and he sort of saved me from it. We've been traveling pretty much ever since."

"And now you're back in a shop again." Lea looked sympathetic.

"It's not so bad. I mean, at least there aren't any shop dummies in this one."

They soon reached a house, two stories, about average in size for the town, and Lea let them in, introducing her to the handful of folks who were already present. A few more arrived shortly after, bringing the gathering up to eight people, and Rose relaxed, chatting, laughing. Everyone seemed nice, excited to be there, happy to meet someone new. She found out a little more about the schedule of the town - shindigs every Thursday, a Sunday gathering, year-round schools - and about where to go for anything they might need. Rose started to feel more confident about how their time in the town would go, if they were unable to get the TARDIS back before their year was up.

The house was Lea's, and houses really did seem to be as cheap and easy to get as they'd been told, even completely furnished, so long as you weren't picky. If she and the Doctor had a little more room, she wouldn't have to worry about waking up to find her pillow replaced by his strong, solid chest. There was a knock at the door, and Lea hollered that the door was open. Simon entered the room, followed by the Doctor. Simon made his way to Lea, who'd moved into the kitchen to finish making dinner. The Doctor came and joined her on the loveseat.

"Hullo," said Rose, smiling at him. "Any luck?"

"Nope," he said. "Haven't been able to find anyone who really knows anything. It's all speculation. There's enough gossip in this town to fuel a space ship."

The room burst into laughter, and the Doctor grinned. Next to him, her hips touching his, Rose could feel he was still a bit tense.

"So, Rose, ain't ya gonna introduce us?" called a young woman from across the room.

"This is the Doctor, my, um, my husband."

There was more chuckling. "Must still be newlyweds," the woman said. "Bet ya'll appreciate that tiny bed at the hotel."

"It is rather tiny," Rose replied, her face on fire. She wasn't sure whether anyone heard her over the companionable laughter. "You okay?" she asked the Doctor.

"'M fine," he answered. She took his hand, and he squeezed it appreciatively.

Food was served, everyone pitching in to get it dished out and to the table. Dinner was a noisy, happy affair, and even the Doctor seemed a bit more relaxed by the end of the domestic scene, agreeing that they'd try to come back the next week if nothing came up.

They started back to the hotel, Rose holding the Doctor's arm, the Doctor carrying the bag of purchases he'd been handed on their way out.

"I got you some clothes," blurted Rose after a minute of silence. "I didn't know if you needed them since there's not… I had to guess on your size. I grabbed some pyjamas, too. Hope that's all right. Didn't figure you'd want to shop for clothes."

"Thanks," he said, glancing into the bag. "Hope mine are the pink ones."

Rose laughed, relaxing and leaning against him some as they walked.

"Dunno, Doctor. The pink ones might be a bit small."

"Are you calling me a bit large, then?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

"No, just a bit larger than the women's clothing they sell here," she said once she could stop laughing. They fell into a comfortable silence until the hotel came into view.

She wished maybe she'd looked for something to help her sleep. The night before had been hard enough, but she'd been knackered. Tonight, she was buzzing with energy, and she wasn't sure whether he was going to be changing into the sleep clothes she'd picked for him. The two of them, sharing a tiny bed, nothing but a thin layer of pyjamas between them… The Doctor might say he doesn't do domestics, but so far, Rose felt like she was the one who was struggling with it, while the Doctor remained completely unaffected.

They entered the lobby, and Rupert greeted them, more friendly tonight than he'd been the night before. Rose brought him the money Mr. Bartl had given her for the hotel before she'd left, and the clerk smiled.

"Enjoy your night, Doctor Tyler, Mrs. Tyler," he said.

"We will," responded the Doctor cheerily, and Rose swallowed hard as they headed up the narrow stairs to their tiny, temporary home.


	7. Chapter 7

The pyjamas had been a horrible idea.

Rose lay on her side in bed, wide awake, her soft, silky pyjamas rubbing against her skin each time she moved. The added stimulation wasn't helping her shut her mind off, especially with the Doctor lying next to her wearing only a thin pair of pyjama bottoms and an equally thin undershirt.

She shifted to her back, closing her eyes at the brush of silk across her chest, at the fact that the right side of her body was now pressed flush against the Doctor's left. She sighed.

"Can't sleep?" the Doctor asked, voice low.

"Sorry. Don't mean to move around so much."

"S'fine. Don't need a lot of sleep, me."

"Okay," she said, picking at a fingernail. She stilled when she felt the Doctor's hand skimming the sleeve of her top, running down the length of her arm until he clasped her hand, holding it tight and moving their linked hands to rest atop where their thighs touched. A thrill shot through her at the feel of his hand resting on her silk-clad leg, chased quickly by the security and strength she felt whenever they joined hands. The two sensations combined to create a simmering heat low in her abdomen.

The Doctor inhaled before speaking again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "For getting you stuck here, I mean."

"'S only been a couple days. We've been in one place longer than this."

He ran a thumb along hers, sending tingles through her body.

"Bed's small," he said. "Won't get upset if we touch. Can even use me as a pillow again, if you like." She heard a smile creep into his voice.

"Dunno, Doctor, you were kinda hard."

Rose suppressed a groan. Had she really just said that?

"Superior physiology, Rose. Not meant to be a superior pillow."

His thumb continued its slow motion back and forth, and she felt herself begin to relax, weariness setting in.

"Wake me up in time for work?" she mumbled.

"Of course."

"Doctor?"

"Yes, Rose?"

"'M glad you're here."

***

Rose yawned behind the register. The Doctor had woken her with plenty of time to get to work, and she'd spent a busy but uneventful morning at the shop, helping customers, completing transactions on her own after Simon supervised the first few. As lunch time neared, the number of customers had dwindled, the store eventually emptying entirely.

Her boss came out of his office, stopping in front of the counter, ever-present stack of papers in his hand.

"I'll be at lunch," he told her. "You can take your lunch break when I get back, or go ahead and help yourself to anything in the food section. Make a record of it, of course, if you do that."

"You have lunch with Lea every day?" asked Rose before he could leave.

He nodded. "I have since she arrived nearly a year ago. She makes me feel…" He stopped, looking down at his papers.

"How long have you been here?"

"Two years. I signed on for four. Lea won a scholarship for a three-year contract. I know the town feels we should be together, but she's… she's _good_."

"And you're not?" asked Rose. "From what I've seen…"

"I'll be back within an hour," he said, turning abruptly and leaving.

"Okay, then," Rose said to the silent store. She wandered over to the food display. It was mostly snacks, sugary, packaged goods that probably weren't historically accurate. The door jangled, signaling an entry, and Rose walked back around the shelf to where she could see.

"Hullo," the Doctor greeted her from the door, holding a paper sack.

"Hullo," she replied, smiling.

"Brought lunch," he said, handing her the bag he carried.

"Thanks," she said, taking it. "I'm starving."

She moved behind the counter and opened the bag, finding a sandwich.

"Made it myself," he said, leaning against the end of a sturdy row of shelves so that he was facing her, arms crossed, one ankle over the other.

"Where'd you do that?" she asked. She took a large bite and made a sound of pleasure. The Doctor did cook for her from time to time, and everything he touched tasted amazing.

"Home of someone I was questioning."

"Any luck with that?" she asked between bites.

"No. Everyone is happy to gossip, though. Was invited to three meals, propositioned once."

"Mmm. By anyone worth taking up on it?" She licked a bit of mustard from a finger.

"Not yet," he said, still watching her, and she swallowed hard.

"Got any leads left to check out?" she asked when she was able to speak.

"One or two. I'll talk to the whole town before we get any real information, at this rate."

"I can help," she said. "People are getting used to me being here, chatting more. Not that people around here don't talk to strangers, just the talk changes once they know who you are, you know?"

"Might help, yeah." He stood and walked to the counter, standing across from her and picking up one of the leaflets that rested next to where she ate. "' _Women are discouraged from walking outside alone. Though not technically against the law, this is frowned upon and can result in ostracization_.'" He looked up at Rose. "That boss of yours write this?"

"Yeah, but he didn't make it up," she said. "Just wrote down what the town's like. Only woman I've seen walking alone is Lea, and she's pretty much ignored on account of being a barmaid. Lot of friendly folk in this town, but there's a lot of idiots, too."

"True of a lot of places," he said, looking back down at the leaflet. "' _Persons of the opposite sex should not be the sole occupants of a room unless one or both are married, preferably to each other_.' Good thing we're married, then." He grinned at her, and Rose felt herself blush.

"All-- All sorts of rules in these things," she said, tapping the papers, "most of them saying what women can and can't do. Takes a lot to fit into this immersion."

"Probably even harder for women from this particular time period. From outside the immersion, I mean. Society balances itself further by this time, men and women sharing equal roles. Suspect most of the women can tolerate it for the immersion only because it's something of a novelty."

"Makes sense," said Rose, eating the last of her sandwich and cleaning up the mess.

"Well, I'm off," he said, smiling again, the smile softening as he watched her. "I'll come back at the end of your shift. Wouldn't want you to have to walk back to the hotel alone."

"Yeah, right." She watched him turn toward the door. "Good luck finding something."

"You too." His blue eyes flashed at her over his shoulder once more before he walked out of the store.

Rose, left alone with her thoughts, sighed. Pretending to be married was exhausting her. Why, though? They were pretty much the same in public. They shared meals, spent time in each other's company. Walking arm-in-arm wasn't unheard of, and it wasn't as if they had to show any other forms of affection in this particular town; kissing was in the "what not to do in public" leaflet.

Was it just sharing a bed? That was certainly new, going back to the same bed each night. Would they keep falling asleep even closer? Could he tell how hard it was for her, how much she liked it?

Maybe it was that everyone in town assumed they were in love. It made it harder not to give in, the line between love and… whatever they normally had, the line between pretending and reality, it had gotten less defined. Every touch, every look was harder to react to as a traveling companion. And that wasn't even taking into account how her body had started responding habitually in such a short time, as if she had as little control over her desires as a "typical human."

The door opened, interrupting her introspection, and Mr. Bartl walked in.

"I saw the Doctor brought you lunch," he said absently, shuffling papers. "You're still welcome to take a lunch break, if you wish."

"I'm fine here. How's Lea?"

"She's well." He smiled idly at his paperwork. "I'll be in my office."

"Okay," she said to his retreating back.

The door jangled again, and Rose greeted the entering customer warmly, remaining occupied with work and gossip for the rest of the afternoon.

***

Rose looked up from recording the latest purchase, grinning widely when she saw the Doctor standing in front of her.

"Ready to go?" he asked, and she glanced at the clock.

"Yep. Let me just go tell Mr. Bartl I'm leaving."

She walked to his office and knocked lightly, opening the door when he responded.

"Yes?"

"The Doctor's here. I'm headed out," she said.

"Thank you for informing me," he said, straightening up his desk and standing. "I've gotten the impression that you don't really want to be here, in this town. If you have to be here, though, I'm glad you aren't here alone."

"So 'm I," she said, eyes moving automatically to find the Doctor, who was browsing the shelves while he waited. "I hope you don't have to be alone much longer," she told him, facing him again.

He nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Tyler. Enjoy the evening with your husband."

"Thanks." She walked back to the Doctor. "Let's go," she said, holding onto his arm. He looked at her, eyes warm, and they left the store, making their way down main street.

"Anything new?" asked Rose.

"Nope. You?"

"Maybe. Have to talked to Andrea Jenkins yet? Heard she usually speaks with people right before they leave the immersion."

"Haven't. I'll talk to her tomorrow, see if I can learn anything. Sounds like a good possibility."

"Hope so," she said, and they walked several steps in silence before she spoke again. "Isn't that I don't like it here. Good a place as any, and at least we're together, yeah?" She looked at him. "We'll visit my mum soon as we get out of here, right? Don't want to be gone a year again, least not as far as she knows."

"Haven't got enough domestics since we've been here?"

She bumped him with her shoulder. "I don't go see my mum for the domestics. Just something that goes with seeing her. Happens sometimes when you care about someone, you know, getting involved in their life." She grinned at him, tongue visible.

"Fine, then. We'll go see Jackie after we leave here."

"And maybe we can--"

"Look out!" The shout came from behind them. She looked over her shoulder, registering the sound of hooves, and saw a horse-drawn wagon barreling along the road, swerving, out of control.

Before she could move out of the way, the Doctor used their linked arms to turn them both, bringing their chests together, his free hand wrapping around her shoulders before he pressed them against a post. Over his shoulder, Rose saw the wagon fly by, less than a foot from the Doctor's back. She closed her eyes to keep out the resulting swirl of dust.

She opened them again when she felt the Doctor pull back slightly.

"Alright?" he asked, blue eyes scanning her face, right hand coming up to settle her hat more firmly on her head. She nodded, doing the same with his stetson despite limited room to maneuver, then dropped her hand to his chest.

"I'm okay," she said, trying to calm her breathing. His face was just inches from hers. Their stomachs touched, and lower, their legs tangled. Rose was suddenly exceedingly aware of the heat that gathered in her near where she was pressed against a particular part of his anatomy. He was tense, pupils wide. She bit her lip, and his eyes flickered to the movement before he stepped away.

"You folks alright?" called the driver who'd managed to get his horse under control.

"Fine, thanks," called Rose, smoothing her dress, trying to get dust off of it until the Doctor took her hand. She looked up at him, noting that his eyes were still dark before he looked back at the road.

"Let's go, Rose," he said, his voice rough, and they finished their walk in silence.


	8. Chapter 8

When Rose joined the Doctor in bed, he immediately turned off the lamp and then rolled onto his side to face her.

"Have you always been so jeopardy friendly?" he asked.

"Oi, that cart was closer to you than it was to me. Anyway, I get you out of at least as many situations as I get myself into." Rose turned so she was facing him.

"True enough."

His fingers brushed hers, their hands in the center of the small bed.

"There's another town gathering tomorrow. No dancing at this one, though," she teased.

"Suppose we can go, then," he said. "Don't imagine you'll be needed at work if nobody's gonna be there."

"Yeah. Seems like Mr. Bartl just closes the shop when the whole town gets together. Not like anyone is shopping if there's something going on. I'll need to ask him, of course."

"We'll plan on going, then. Maybe find this Andrea and talk to her together, see what she knows. You're good at making people comfortable." His fingers brushed hers again.

"We work well together," she said.

"Mmm," he agreed, and they lapsed into silence for a long moment. "Speaking of working well," he continued, "I figured out what I need to find to make the sonic work."

"Yeah? Anything I should look for?"

"Wouldn't think anyone would bring electronics into the shop, not unless it deals in contraband."

"Not that I've seen, no. Can still keep an eye out, though."

"The obstruction field is dampening and scrambling the signals, keeping them from being sent out properly." He stroked her hand, palm to fingertips, straightening her fingers out along the mattress, and Rose fought a shiver. "Normally, the signal moves through the shaft," he explained evenly, thumb and index finger tracing a path along her middle finger, "before emitting the proper sonic signals from the tip." He tapped on her fingertip. "With the field, though..." He ran a finger back down along hers until it reached the center of her palm, then made a small circle, and Rose heard her breath hitch. "It's catching the signals close to where they originate." He started running four fingers along her hand, starting with her palm and making his way to the tips, repeatedly. He _had_ to know what this was doing to her, right? She swallowed. "What I need, then, is something to cancel out the obstruction field, allowing the signal to move through properly. Once it's out, it's just noise, essentially, so the field shouldn't bother to block it."

"Okay," she managed without squeaking. "I'll let you know if I see any electronics, then."

"Thanks," he said, still stroking her hand. "Personal radios are the most likely to have what I need. I'm sure more than a few were snuck in."

She grabbed his hand, needing to stop his tactile illustrations before she did something rash. He stilled, and she fumbled for a response. "Yeah. Okay. Makes… makes sense."

"Rose," he said, voice still low and even, "you don't need to be uncomfortable."

"With what?"

He didn't respond for a few seconds. "Arousal is a perfectly normal human response."

"You can _tell_?" She heard herself squeak this time.

"Typically." He paused. "Superior senses, remember? Your heart rate, the dilation of your pupils, your scent... They change. Doesn't bother me, but it seems to be bothering you. Wouldn't have mentioned it, but you keep tensing up. Can't be helping your sleep, and isn't very productive, getting upset over a physiological response to stimuli."

She pulled her hand from his, rolling to her back and covering her face. "I can't talk about this right now, with you all… clinical and me all _human_. It's not… I know you can't control what you sense and all, but it feels like… like you can see what's in my head, almost, and you don't react at all."

He was quiet. It seemed like he'd been trying to help, trying to make her more comfortable. She thought back to all the times she'd been worked up around him and stifled a groan. At least it honestly didn't seem to faze him. He had to have known what he was doing to her during his explanation of the obstruction field, and he kept doing it anyway. Was he doing it on _purpose_? Surely if he'd been trying for that type of response from her, he'd have acted on it instead of telling her it was natural and effectively dousing those feelings.

"I'm sorry, Rose. Didn't mean to make it worse."

She sighed. "I'm glad you told me. Kind of creepy, you being able to tell and me not knowing. Especially with how often you'd know, with us sharing a bed like this."

"Can't tell what's causing it, what you're thinking, if that helps."

"Some."

Neither spoke for several minutes.

"Good night," the Doctor said finally.

"Good night, Doctor," said Rose, making an effort to relax and to fall asleep.

***

"Rose," she heard, fighting her way from sleep. "Rose, it's okay. I'm right here."

Strong arms wrapped around her, a double heartbeat against her ear, and her thrashing slowed, then stopped, and she sagged against the Doctor's chest.

"It's okay," he repeated, running a hand along her back.

Her heart was racing, and she tried to catch her breath, focusing on her surroundings. The Doctor was holding her nearly in his lap, having pulled her to a sitting position, and his chin rested on her head, his arms around her firm but not confining.

"Doctor?"

"I'm here. It was just a dream."

She rested against his chest, making no effort to move. "I don't remember… I don't know what happened. I was panicking, and I was alone, but I can't…"

"It's okay. It's over. Don't need to remember it."

She grabbed hold of his shirt and took deep breaths, chasing away the lingering feelings of danger and desperation. "Tell me something?"

"Like what?"

"Anything."

"All right," he said, hands pausing while he thought. "There was this one time, decades ago, when I went to this ball. It was grand, the largest I'd seen. Still is. I should take you there some day so you can see the chandeliers. Works of art and engineering, took years to design. Anyway, the band was playing, something typical of the time period, when a temporal distortion occurred - they'd been happening, which is why I was there - and suddenly the band was playing the Hokey Cokey."

Rose chuckled. "What happened next?"

"Well, everyone started dancing, of course. Handy when a song tells you exactly how to dance to it. I had to show them the circle bit, naturally, but once everyone got the hang of it, that many people, it was fantastic."

"Sounds it," she mumbled. She felt close to sleep still, like she'd not fully awoken, and she was surrounded by the Doctor, his arms, his voice, his scent.

"Better?"

"A little," she said, holding tight when it felt like he was going to pull away.

"Don't have to let go," he said, slowly leaning them down until they lay on the bed again, her head pillowed on his arm, her forehead against his chest, his other arm still stroking her back.

"This is nice. Could do without the nightmare part."

"Mmm. Try to go back to sleep, Rose."

"'Kay." She felt herself sinking back into sleep, and as the line between waking and dreaming became blurred, she thought she felt the Doctor place a kiss to the top of her head.

***

When she woke, Rose was alone in bed. The room was empty. Rose changed her clothes quickly, close to the door so she could keep the Doctor out if he came back while she wasn't dressed. She went back to the bed to grab her hat, settling it on her head before making her way out of the room and down to the lobby, where the Doctor was eating breakfast.

"Morning," he said, grin pasted on his face. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah, thanks," she said, sitting across from him, pulling a plateful of pastries a little closer to her. "You weren't there when I woke up," she said, not quite awake enough to ask her question without stating the obvious.

"You didn't stir when I got out of bed," he said. "Thought you could use the extra sleep."

"Thanks," she said, frowning at her plate. "I'm not late for work, am I?" she asked, a thrill of adrenaline racing through her.

"Nope," he answered. "Plenty of time." He smiled, and her frown eased.

"Thanks for last night. When I woke up, I mean, not… You helped. Don't have nightmares often, but I never can fall back to sleep when I do. Slept great, so thank you."

"My pleasure," he said, smile softening into something more genuine before he broke eye contact, focusing on his plate.

"So, I need to see if Mr. Bartl needs me, and then we can go to the gathering. Lea said it goes all day."

"Okay," said the Doctor, and they quickly, quietly finished their meals.

After breakfast, they stopped by the shop, confirmed that Rose wasn't needed for work, and made their way to the already-crowded town square.

The Doctor seemed to have pulled back some. He was acting normal enough, mostly, but he was a little quiet, held himself a little farther from Rose than he needed to, and she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.

"Rose!" called a friendly voice, and one of the regulars from the shop approached her, chatting about the weather, the gathering, her family. As soon as she left, another customer approached, then another. When there was a moment with just the two of them, the Doctor spoke.

"Sure are popular around here."

"People just like to talk, that's all," she said. She smiled at him. "Besides, with everyone coming up to us like this, introducing you as my husband is starting to feel almost normal."

His blue eyes flashed, then shuttered.

"You all right?" she asked, placing a hand on his arm.

"Fine," he said, smiling tightly.

"Is it-"

"Hello, Rose!" said Lea, approaching them with a smile. "Hello, Doctor. We could use your help. Mostly it's just the womenfolk here this early, and we've got a table that we just can't quite budge. Do you mind lending a hand?"

"Sure," he said, walking to the awning that covered several picnic tables and speaking to some of the women there.

Lea stayed behind with Rose. "He sure does adore you," she said wistfully.

"Yeah?"

"I mean, the looks he gives you when you're actually watching him? Those are nothing compared to how he looks when you can't see. Could break a heart and put it right back together again, all that passion and love. Ya'll seem perfect together."

"Yeah." She watched the Doctor for a moment, saw him lean forward for better leverage in pushing, then turned toward Lea. "What about you and Simon? Never see him as happy as when he sees you."

Lea blushed. "I don't know. Sometimes he seems so sweet, and other times he's just so focused on the store. I can't tell whether he isn't interested or he's just preoccupied."

"It's hard," she said, taking a breath, "loving someone you aren't sure loves you back."

"Was it like that with you and the Doctor?"

"Well," started Rose, glancing in the Doctor's direction again. He was walking out from under the awning, short, dark hair reflecting the sun, a pleased smile crossing his face when he saw her, one Rose couldn't help but return.

"Oh, no," said Lea, and Rose faced her, confused.

"What's wrong?"

Before Lea could answer, she heard Sheriff Bob, who seemed to be making his way toward the tables.

"Doctor," he said again as he reached him, "if you'd please accompany me to my office."

"Did you find something?" he asked. Rose started walking quickly toward them.

"It's not about your transport," he replied, looking pointedly at the Doctor's head, now painfully obvious in the sea of hats whose owners were watching the exchange. "You're under arrest."


	9. Chapter 9

_"_ _It's not about your transport," he replied, looking pointedly at the Doctor's head, now painfully obvious in the sea of hats whose owners were watching the exchange. "You're under arrest."_

"What?" asked the Doctor, jerking his head back in surprise. The motion seemed to bring his lack of cover to his attention, and he glanced up as Rose reached them. "Oh. Don't suppose it matters that I lost my hat performing a town service, does it?"

"Afraid it doesn't," answered Sheriff Bob.

"Thought not." The Doctor smiled tightly.

"But he was just trying to help," protested Rose. "His hat wouldn't even have fallen off if he hadn't been trying to help. It's right _there_." She pointed to where it had fallen under a table, just a few feet from where the Doctor stood.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," said the sheriff, tapping his own hat, "but there's some laws here can't be broken, and being in public without a hat is one of them. I'm sorry this is happening while ya'll are new, but this'll go easier if you don't make a fuss."

"But he-"

"Rose," interrupted the Doctor, his voice low, reassuring. "It's okay."

She closed her eyes, hands in fists, remembering him saying the same when she'd woken from her nightmare early that morning. And now the Sheriff wanted to arrest him? He'd be tossed in jail, for how long? All for trying to help, for trying to fit in at a gathering she'd talked him into attending. She looked back at the sheriff.

"You can accompany us to my office, ma'am, if you'd like to discuss this any further, but there's no need to make a spectacle."

Rose took a deep breath. This law was too established for the sheriff to make a public exception. Making a fuss here was only going to make things worse, but maybe she could make a difference once there was nobody else listening.

"Fine." She marched over to the Doctor's hat, careful to keep hers firmly on her head when she bent to retrieve the one on the ground.

They walked in silence to the sheriff's office, Bob walking just behind the Doctor to keep an eye on him, Rose following, trying to sort through an argument that might work. The sheriff unlocked the door, and they walked in, one after the other. Bob gestured at the empty chairs in front of his desk, and they sat. Rose pulled at her hands until the Doctor covered them with one of his own.

"Now, I know ya'll are new, but that's no excuse for breaking the law."

"But he _had_ his hat on, and it only fell off because-"

Rose bit the inside of her cheek when she was interrupted again.

"Ma'am," said the sheriff, "it'd serve you well to let me explain the options before you continue." He stared at her a moment, then continued. "The penalty for bein' outside without a hat is 24 hours from the time processing is completed. Now, you can, of course, take the issue before the judge, argue your case. It'll be at least a day 'til you can see the judge, though, more likely two or three, and in the meantime, the accused will need to stay here in lock-up." He looked at the Doctor. "If the judge finds you guilty, you will then be in-processed, the 24-hour penalty starting at that time." He leaned back in his seat, steepling his fingers. "So, Doctor, do you choose to fight the accusation or accept the penalty?"

"This isn't right," said Rose. "That's not-"

"I'll accept it," the Doctor said, squeezing her hand gently.

"Smart of you," said the sheriff, finding a blank form, quickly filling in the top half, then sliding it over to the Doctor. "Need you to write in your information, including who will be picking you up at release. Can't let offenders go without someone to sign for them. No further repercussions after release, not unless you decide to try bein' out without a hat again."

Rose watched him quickly fill in the blanks after he released her hand.

_Name: Dr. Tyler_

_Occupation: The Doctor_

_Responsible Party and Relation to the Accused: Rose Tyler, wife_

She looked away, butterflies warring with anger and frustration. This stupid law. It wasn't like they hadn't been locked up for silly things before, but as so many things had in this town, this felt different, like they were being pulled apart and she was just supposed to let it happen.

The Doctor stood, and Rose looked up, standing beside him when Sheriff Bob gestured at one of the empty cells.

"Doctor…" she began, unsure of what to say.

He started to raise his hand, then hesitated, pausing before reaching again to cup her cheek. She leaned into his touch.

"Need you to use your domestic approach, get to know the people here."

"Can't I stay here with you?"

He smiled. "Better for both of us if you're not."

"Better for you to be all locked up, on your own?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"Yup." He dropped his hand, his eyes sparkling. "Might finally get some sleep without all your snoring." He grinned widely.

"Oh, shut up," she said, laughing once in surprise, pushing his shoulder lightly.

The sheriff cleared his throat. "I'm headed back to the square, and I need the Doctor in his cell first, and there's no visiting allowed while I'm not present."

The Doctor grabbed her hand, and she squeezed his.

"I'm fine, Rose." He took a step closer and seemed to lean toward her, eyes fixed on hers, and Rose's mouth went dry. She licked her lips, and the Doctor stopped, smiling at her briefly before letting go, turning away, and walking into the jail cell.

The sheriff shut and locked it, and with one last look over her shoulder at the Doctor, who had already made himself comfortable on the cell's cot and produced a book, Rose followed Bob out of his office and back to town square.

***

As soon as they reached the square, Lea approached Rose, looking concerned.

"You okay?" she asked as the sheriff left to mingle with the crowd.

"Yeah," answered Rose. "Not the one locked up, though."

"He'll be fine," she said, smiling kindly. "Got caught in a windstorm after I'd been here a few weeks, spent a day in jail. The cot's a lot comfier than it looks, and it was kinda nice, having a place to myself to think, no obligations, no job to get to. Darn near everyone in town's been locked up for lack of hat at least once. It's almost a rite of passage."

Rose chuckled, feeling herself unwind slightly. He was a grown man - more than, at 900 years old - and he'd been alone before. She'd serve them best by being herself, relaxing and watching and listening and talking, finding a way to get their ship back so that if they stayed longer, it was by choice.

"So what do you like to think about, then, with time alone?" asked Rose. "What do you like to do when you aren't working or taking care of people?"

"I like to read," she said, "to study and learn." She smiled, eyes unfocused as she thought. "I like finding patterns in things, ways to improve what's already in place by using those patterns. It's exciting, solving a problem folks didn't even know needed to be solved."

"What did you do before you moved here?" Rose worded her question carefully, having learned the hard way in the shop that people tended to shut down if the immersion was mentioned openly.

"I was a student. I planned to be a teacher, or maybe go into research. I was studying for both since I couldn't decide. Then I…" Her smile slipped. "I realized I needed a change, so I applied to move here."

Rose reached out to squeeze her friend's arm. "You okay?"

Lea blinked, then smiled again at Rose. "I am now. This town, it has its faults for sure, but it's been amazing, living here, being surrounded by the culture, even though I strongly suspect some of it is… exaggerated. Come on, let me introduce you to some of the folk you don't normally get to meet seeing as they're working when you and I get to be social."

The rest of the day passed quickly as Rose mingled, wondering in quieter moments -and some of the louder ones - how the Doctor was faring.

"You ready to go?" asked Lea after they'd eaten an early dinner and the sun had begun to set. Unlike the shindig they'd been to a few days ago, this gathering seemed to have an early end.

"Yeah," said Rose. "You don't have to walk me home, if you don't want to."

"Oh, it's no bother," said Lea, and they started walking. "You seemed to enjoy yourself today."

"Mostly. Felt wrong, having too much fun with the Doctor locked up, you know?"

"I do, but he'd be glad you were able to relax."

"Yeah," Rose agreed again, sighing. "Didn't find out anything that could help, though."

"Ya'll are still trying to get your transport back, then?"

"Of course. I mean… Like you said, the town is great even though it has its faults. But we don't really do this, don't stay in one place, you know?"

"That makes sense, I suppose," said Lea. "But then why come someplace you've got to stay a year if you didn't really want to stay so long?"

"We don't really always follow the rules, either," she answered. A corner of her mouth pulled upward. "The hat thing really wasn't on purpose, though."

They'd reached the hotel, and Lea bid her a goodnight.

"Sleep well, Rose. You'll have your husband back in no time."

***

The bed felt huge.

Rose rolled over again, trying to position herself in the center of the bed so that there wasn't an empty space on the Doctor's side. Without the Doctor's sense of time and without an alarm clock in the bedroom, she wasn't sure how long she'd been trying to fall asleep, but it had to be nearing midnight.

The bed that had been much too small now had far too much room, too much space for Rose's thoughts. He'd said she helped him sleep when he didn't have the TARDIS; would he have trouble sleeping tonight? Would he sleep at all? He didn't always, and he seemed to have been sleeping more than usual since they'd been here, or at least staying in bed longer, so maybe he'd have an easier night if he just stayed awake.

She covered a yawn, then threw fisted hands to the mattress.

It was like the night before a holiday, all pent up energy, knowing that time would pass faster asleep, but unable to reach that state of unconsciousness.

She tried to focus her thoughts on something more productive. She'd met everyone in town by now, so she had to have met the person who could get the TARDIS back to them. Who was it, then? Nobody seemed to know, and in a town in which gossip spread so quickly, it was probably either one of the few people who kept things to themselves, or it was someone who gossiped enough about others to keep the attention off of themselves. Could it be the mayor, after all? It would explain why he got so snippy, if they were asking him the one thing he couldn't talk about, but he just seemed so… disingenuine. Her gut told her it wasn't him, and that it wasn't the sheriff or a handful of other likely suspects, but then who was it? What about Mr. Bartl with all his paperwork, or Andrea and her knowledge of when people were getting ready to leave the immersion?

She sighed and rolled to her right, squeezing her eyes shut when she caught a whiff of the Doctor's scent, remembering the night before, his presence that was so hard to ignore. He could tell when she was _aroused_. She felt herself blush and shook her head. He said he couldn't tell what was causing it, but he had to know it was him, right? Otherwise, maybe he thought she was just in a perpetual state of _want_.

Had he noticed, at the sheriff's, when he'd leaned in as if he were going to kiss her?

She pressed her fingers to her lips. What would it feel like, kissing the Doctor? Would it be hard, passionate, a release of pent-up emotion? Or would it be soft and warm like the looks he sometimes gave her? Heat spread through her, pooling low in her abdomen, and she groaned.

This night was never going to end.


	10. Chapter 10

Rose toyed with the knot under her chin, making sure her new bonnet was tightly fastened. She fiddled with the register, then straightened the log book and leaflets for a third time. When the door jangled and opened, she jumped.

Simon Bartl walked into the store and joined her at the counter.

"The sheriff is headed back to his office. Finished his noon meal a little faster than usual when he heard you were waiting to pick up the Doctor." Simon smiled. "Lea mentioned I might want to give you the rest of the day off. It isn't a terribly busy day, so if you'd like to go pick up your husband and come back in the morning, I can handle the store for the afternoon."

"Really?" she asked, moving around the counter. "Thank you!" She touched his arm briefly, glancing at his customary stack of papers. The page on top showed a chart on pricing trends for cloth, nothing that might indicate he was more than he seemed. She left, moving briskly toward the jail.

She ignored the stares she felt from walking without an escort. If Lea could tolerate this sort of thing and still be such a good person, Rose could deal with it if the town decided she wasn't "proper." It wasn't like she'd be alone, wasn't like she hadn't been looked down on before. It had become less common since she'd been traveling with the Doctor, easier to forget about since she knew she was better than those sorts of looks made her feel.

When she pushed through the door to the sheriff's office, Bob was sitting at his desk, leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. The Doctor was speaking.

"...make any sense, does it? Running a town with two or three different people making the decisions, and no talking between them."

"Mrs. Tyler," Bob said, sitting up and sounding relieved. "If I could just have you sign this form, you folks can be on your way."

"Okay," she said, sitting and looking toward the Doctor, who grinned at her.

"Hullo."

"Hi." Rose felt almost shy. It had felt like things were changing between them, touches becoming freer, unguarded moments more frequent. After having this time apart, would things go back to normal like she'd wanted?

Did she still want it to?

She signed the paper that stated she would try to keep the Doctor out of trouble, smiling to herself. It didn't seem to matter whether they tried to get into trouble or not; it found them anyway.

She took slow breaths while Sheriff Bob put away the paper and rifled through his keys. She was excited to be with the Doctor again, and nervous, and relieved, and-

"Right then," said the sheriff, standing, and Rose stood, too, moving to the cell where the Doctor waited with his arms crossed. "You're gonna behave now, you hear?" He unlocked and opened the door.

"Won't lose my hat again," answered the Doctor, tapping the referenced item and stepping out of the cell. He stood next to Rose, dropping his hands to his sides.

"You folks are free to go, then," the sheriff said, returning to his desk and immediately shifting his attention to paperwork.

The Doctor looked down at Rose, his blue eyes scanning her face, and she smiled up at him. He held out his arms.

"So, how do I look? Any worse for the wear? Certainly slept better."

Rose stepped toward him and wrapped her arms around him, hands slipping under his open jacket, face pressed against his chest. After a moment of tense surprise, the Doctor relaxed, returning the embrace. They stood there for several long seconds before the sheriff cleared his throat. She pulled back, and the Doctor let his hands slide along her arms, catching one of her hands in his and grinning.

"Let's go, then," he said, and they made their way out of the small jail. "See you, Bob," he said with a wave just before the door shut behind them.

"Where to?" asked Rose, looking up and down the street. "Don't have to get back to work until morning."

"This way," said the Doctor, tugging her hand and starting toward the far end of town. Rose moved her hand to his arm, resting her head against him for a moment. He adjusted, bending his elbow to allow an easier grip. "Figured we'd check the post office, see what we might find out there. Can't get in back to investigate how letters come and go from town, not without the clerk being distracted."

"So I distract the clerk, and you slip into the back? I dunno, I did just promise I'd try to make sure you behave." She smiled at him, tongue peeking through. "Think Sheriff Bob would let us share a cell if we get caught?"

Her smiled slipped as the Doctor looked at her, something heated in his gaze, and Rose swallowed, picturing him staring at her this way while they were locked in a small jail cell together.

"Probably not. Won't get caught, though, me."

"So what'd you do, then, while you were in there?" asked Rose after a beat of silence.

"Worked on the sonic with the parts I had."

"Did you get it working?"

"Not really. Still need a few bits to get the signal unscrambled enough to make all the functions work right. But, I did manage to build something that should allow the sonic to take close-range readings, so it wasn't a complete waste."

"So you should be able to figure out how letters are getting in and out?"

He grinned. "That's the plan."

The post office was relatively small, with an even smaller customer service area, packages and post office boxes spread out in the room behind the counter, with an area off to one side where people could finish getting packages ready. Rose smiled and walked up to the clerk while the Doctor meandered to the area on the side.

"Hi, Lucy, right?" she asked.

The woman smiled and nodded. "How are you settling in over at the store?"

"Oh, just fine, thanks," she said. "So, I was wondering…" She pointed at an informational chart that would turn Lucy's head from where the Doctor could slip behind the counter, carefully not watching as he did so. "If I wanted to send a package to my mum using out-of-town priority service, how would I go about that?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the Doctor step behind a tall row of shelving and out of sight. She continued asking questions until she saw him slip back out from behind the counter a few minutes later.

"Thanks, Lucy, you've been a big help," said the Doctor, moving to stand beside Rose, and the clerk blinked repeatedly.

"It's been my pleasure," she said, recovering with a smile.

"We'll be back," said Rose. "See you then if not before, okay?"

"I'll be in the store tomorrow," said Lucy, "so I'll see you then."

Outside again, Rose clutched the Doctor's arm, giggling. "Think she completely forgot you were in the building," she said, "and then you were right there and thanking her, like she'd been talking to _you_ the whole time."

The Doctor grinned at her, eyes sparkling, while she tried to compose herself. They started walking.

"Did you find anything?" she asked finally.

"The device they use is very much like the one the sheriff uses to send paperwork to whoever's in charge. Seems to be some sort of short-range teleportation device that gets ignored by the systems in place to catch big electronics."

"Could you tell where it was going or how we could use it or anything?"

"Nope."

"So…we learned nothing new, then?" she clarified.

"Nope."

"Well okay then." They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, no real destination in mind. The town grew quieter, those who'd finished a late lunch having moved back inside, others having returned home laden with cooking supplies for the evening meal. "I've been trying to think about who it might be that we're looking for. Had a lot of time to think last night."

"Didn't sleep that well?"

She shook her head, ducking it to hide her blush as she recalled what a good portion of the night had been spent thinking about. Not that she'd done anything with those particular frustrations, sure he'd have been able to tell if she did. "Anyway, I don't think it's any of the people who are actually in charge, like the mayor or the sheriff. What do you think about Andrea?"

"Don't think it's her. Could be, but she's always out and about, and I don't think she'd have the time to deal with paperwork from the sheriff."

"Paperwork. What about Simon? He's always working on papers. I've tried to look at them, but haven't seen anything worth getting excited over."

"Could be him. Maybe Lea. Seems smart enough not to carry evidence around if she doesn't want to be found out."

"Hmm." Rose had trouble considering her friend as a suspect, but then, whoever it was that was keeping the TARDIS from them was only doing a job. "I dunno. We've been to her house, right? And the bar, and the shop, and she doesn't really go anywhere else. You'd know if you were _that_ close to the TARDIS, wouldn't you?"

"Possibly. Would depend on whether there's any additional shielding. Could also be a separate holding facility."

"So it could be Simon or Lea." She smiled, thinking about the pair. They seemed to be more open around each other, more relaxed, especially Simon. If that last bit of hesitation about being a couple could go away, maybe they'd let something slip, if one of them really was in charge of the immersion. If they weren't, it had seemed like being a couple was something they each wanted, and it was possible they just needed help getting there. "Maybe we can do something to help get them together," she said aloud.

"Why would we do that?"

"Because," Rose said with a sigh, "they love each other, but they're both holding back. They just need a good push in the right direction."

"Or maybe they're fine as they are. They support each other, share meals, help each other out. Maybe they don't need to be pushed into a relationship because they're already in one."

"They aren't, though, not properly." They turned onto the smaller, residential street. "I mean, yeah, they're together a lot, but I've watched them, you know? And they both want more. Sometimes that other stuff just isn't enough. Sometimes people need to hear that they're loved, yeah? And sometimes we need things like…" She trailed off, cheeks blazing. In front of the hotel, they stopped, and the Doctor turned to look at her. She tried to keep her breathing steady, but even - or maybe especially - knowing that the Doctor could tell when she was turned on, it wasn't easy talking about sex, not with a man she fancied who hadn't made it clear he felt the same. "Well, you know," she finished, looking down at her feet.

He stepped closer to her, gently tilting her chin up with his free hand, the other sliding down to link with hers. "What do you need, Rose?" His voice was low, rough, his eyes intent on hers.

"N-Not me," she said, licking her lips. "I was talking about them, about Lea and Simon."

"And sex. That's all you humans think about: sex."

"Yeah, you've mentioned." Rose felt heat flooding her body, setting nerves on edge. They were standing close, so close their feet were nearly touching. They seemed alone in the street, and the Doctor tilted his head toward hers, moving his hand from her chin to her cheek, his cool touch almost shocking against the heat in her face. The contrast grew as her traitorous mind suddenly wondered, graphically, how his fingers would feel against the other decidedly-warm areas of her body.

"Is that what you want, Rose?" he asked, eyes darting to her lips as she licked them again. "Is _this_?"

He dipped his head, lips moving the few inches they needed to press against hers. She gasped against his mouth as a jolt of electric energy shot through her. His movements were almost leisurely as he tasted her, sliding his hand to the back of her neck, tilting her head for a better angle. When he sucked gently on her lower lip, she was shocked out of her immobility, pressing her body against his and eagerly returning the kiss, completely oblivious to who else might be around to see Rose Tyler and the Doctor, snogging on a public street, unaware of anything but herself and him and how they touched.

Then she felt tapping on her shoulder.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is still teen, and the next couple should be, too, unless the Doctor and Rose get carried away. I did decide, however, after being informed it was my only option, that this will get upped to an adult rating when the time is right.
> 
> Betas: scullywolf and re-sile

_When he sucked gently on her lower lip, she was shocked out of her immobility, pressing her body against his and eagerly returning the kiss, completely oblivious to who else might be around to see Rose Tyler and the Doctor, snogging on a public street, unaware of anything but herself and him and how they touched._

_Then she felt tapping on her shoulder._

She pulled back reluctantly, looking into the Doctor's eyes, which were hungry and flickering with emotion, before turning around to see who was trying to get her attention.

"You folks tryin' to get locked up again?" said the man standing in front of them, whose name Rose couldn't quite remember, Frank or Fred or something. Any chance she had of recalling his name was ruined when the Doctor moved so he was directly behind her instead of beside her, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders. Was that just where he wanted to stand, or was he trying to hide evidence that the kiss had affected him as much as it had affected her?

Rose focused her attention back on the smirking townsperson in front of her.

"Kissing isn't against the law, not even here," she said, calling on the information she'd picked up from Simon's leaflets.

The man's smile grew, and he raised his eyebrows.

"No, it ain't, but that looked like it was a mite more than just a kiss. Looked a lot like ya'll forgot you weren't in your hotel room."

Rose flushed, remembering the feel of her soft body pressed against the Doctor's hard one, his lips gentle but insistent, his--

"Thank you for interrupting us, then," said the Doctor, voice rough.

The man looked up to the Doctor's face. His smirk vanished.

"Well, I, uh… Happy to help," he managed before making his way quickly down the road. Rose relaxed and turned back to the Doctor, who dropped his hands and took a step back, his eyes shuttered.

"That was…" started Rose.

"That shouldn't have happened," said the Doctor, eyes fixed on hers. She felt her heart sink. If he thought it was a mistake, if it was only good for her… How were they supposed to go back to normal after that?

"The kiss was--"

"Perfect," he interrupted again, eyes flashing before he returned to a neutral expression. "But it shouldn't have happened. Not yet."

"Then when?" Rose clutched at a large bow on her dress, needing something to do with her hands. She saw the Doctor's twitch at his sides. He shook his head.

"I need a day or two to think, Rose. There are… There's a lot to think about, for both of us. Lot of room in this head of mine. Shouldn't have kissed you before I got it all straight. Wasn't right."

"But we've…" She stopped, swallowed.

"Just need a little time, me." The corners of his mouth pulled upward, a pale imitation of his real smile. "Don't want to make things harder on you, on us, by not thinking everything through."

"Okay," she said, licking her still-tingling lips. "Suppose that makes sense."

He pasted on a smile. "Dinner?"

"Sure."

She turned absently toward the hotel, which served food that passed for a light meal in the evenings, and the Doctor followed behind her.

O~O~O

Dinner had been quiet. They'd barely spoken, and searching looks were caught and averted. Now they were in bed, in the dark, the Doctor on his side and facing away from Rose. Meanwhile, she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.

He'd said he'd needed to think, but they'd had time to think. They'd been together for months, maybe even close to a year. If he wasn't sure yet, would two days help at all? What did he need to think about, exactly? They were good together as traveling companions, as friends, and if that kiss was any indication of how good they'd be together physically...

She pressed her fingers to her lips, remembering how they'd felt against the Doctor's. The kiss had been even better than she'd sometimes let herself imagine it would be. Was that why he needed some time? Maybe he'd been fighting his attraction as much as she had, hadn't let himself seriously consider the possibility. Now, he needed to think about it. And what about her? If he was ready to take that step, was she? Ready to spend their days saving the worlds or saving themselves, ready to end adventures with a kiss, ready to spend the nights together much more intentionally...

She turned her head toward the Doctor's back, watching his steady breathing in the scant light filtering through the window from the sleepy town. He was still, his breathing almost too regular. She was pretty sure he wasn't asleep. Maybe he was trying to make her feel like they each had space to think in the small, shared bed. Space to think about whether she wanted to take that step together.

Yes. If he was ready for all of it, she was, too. If he wasn't, if he decided he wanted to stay as they had been, could she go back? Could she pretend she didn't want _more_ after that brief taste? The alternative was, what, to leave him, let him travel alone? She shook her head. That would be even worse.

She sighed, and the Doctor shifted, lying on his back, eyes closed. He took her hand, slowly, giving her a chance to pull away. She squeezed his hand, then breathed in and out, forcing herself to relax. Whether they were together or _together_ , at least they would have each other.

O~O~O

The next day crept by slowly. Rose worked behind the counter, as usual, and Simon kept himself busy in his office. Customers came and went, the Doctor noticeably absent. Rose discussed the weather, families, jobs, cooking and sewing. Finally, after a few pointers from Sheriff Bob, she spent a couple of hours trying to knit.

She was brilliant at making knotted lumps of yarn.

"Helps if you pay attention to what you're doing, or so I've heard," Mr. Bartl commented, making her jump.

"Isn't really my thing, I don't think. Was just trying to pass time. The shelves are all straightened. Here's the log for the day so far." She set down the yarn and handed him the logbook. He put his pile of papers down on the counter so he could read through the book, as he seemed to like doing a few times a day.

She untangled the needles from the yarn, angling herself toward Simon's papers. The top paper was the same as it had been last time she'd tried to sneak a peek, just a chart on pricing trends. She glanced at Simon, who was absorbed in the sales for the day. She pulled the ball of yarn toward her, trying to move the top sheet of paper away without being conspicuous.

"What was this?" asked Simon, pointing to the book and startling Rose. She pulled the yarn too hard, and papers were suddenly flying off the desk.

"Oh, bollocks," said Rose, scrambling to pick everything up, reading as much as she could without being obvious. Most of it was more paperwork that made sense for the store, prices and sales and costs of acquisition. She hesitated as she grabbed the last sheet that had fallen on her side, one that looked very much like some of the forms she and the Doctor had needed to sign at the sheriff's. Before she could really read it, Simon took the stack from her hands.

"Thank you," he said, shuffling them and holding them atop the closed logbook.

"Was that… Do you have paperwork from the sheriff?"

"He sends in orders sometimes, yes." Simon kept his attention firmly fixed on the papers.

"Didn't look like an order. Looked like one of the forms the sheriff sends to the person who runs the immersion. Do you have those?" pressed Rose.

"Why would I have that?" asked Mr. Bartl calmly. "I'll be in my office."

"Wait," called Rose before he could walk off, and he turned back to face her.

"Yes?"

"Can you get us our ship back?"

Simon blinked, looked down at his papers, then back up at her. He shook his head.

"I can't give your ship back," he said, remaining still where he stood.

"Can't as in it isn't you, or do you mean it _is_ you but you can't do it?"

"The person in charge… He or she has even more rules to follow than most. If that person were caught breaking major procedure without a justifiable reason, they wouldn't be arrested. They'd be immediately removed from the immersion, belongings sent afterward. They'd be allowed no further interaction with the immersion or contact with anyone still in it."

"Even if he was just trying to do what's right?"

Simon nodded. "Even if. I love this town. The laws are typically part of the appeal, but I can also see how, to one in charge, they might be terribly restricting."

"And Lea's here for another two years," said Rose.

He nodded again. "I'm very sorry I can't tell you who can give you your ship back. If you need anything else, though, any help settling in, please do let me know."

"But you can't…." her words fell on his retreating back, and she heard his office door shut firmly.

Should she follow him? She was sure he was the person in charge, and he'd never denied it. He'd seemed pretty clear, though, that getting the TARDIS back wasn't on the agenda. It would be pretty hard, leaving somewhere you loved, alone and, if her observations were right, without the person you loved. She couldn't imagine being unable to so much as talk to the Doctor for two years. She didn't think she'd be able to talk Simon out of any more information today, and she knew Lea was working all night. If she pressed without a solid plan, he might clam up permanently.

Rose bent and retrieved the yarn and needles from the floor, placing them where the logbook typically rested. The door's bell jangled, and she looked up to see the Doctor.

"Hullo," he said, smiling at her. "Ready to go?"

"I think so," said Rose. "Let me just go tell Mr. Bartl I'm leaving."

"All right." He leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

Rose made her way to Simon's office, knocking lightly on the door. When there was no response, she knocked harder.

"Mr. Bartl?" There was silence. "Mr. Bartl, the Doctor's here. Can I leave for the evening?"

After a few seconds, he finally responded. "That's fine. I'll see you in the morning."

She walked back to the Doctor, thinking. Simon definitely didn't want to talk about this anymore, at least not under these circumstances. Should they just wait? Or maybe there was a way to get him more comfortable with being willing to bend a few rules.

The Doctor stood as she approached, holding out his arm for her to take. She accepted his unspoken invitation, and they left the store.

"Good day?" asked the Doctor, breaking into the silence.

"Slow," she said. "But I think…" She stopped, looking around to make sure nobody was in earshot. "I think it really might be Simon who's in charge. He had these papers, and we had a conversation that was sort of… But he isn't gonna tell us anything today. I think he's locked himself in his office. I've got a plan, though, and I'm gonna need your help."

The Doctor looked at her, quietly, appraising, then broke into a grin. "Okay. What's the plan?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter remains teen, barely; I re-read the ratings guidelines repeatedly. That being said, parts of it might not be safe for work; it's not explicit, but the content isn't something I'd feel particularly comfortable having my boss read.

Rose had tried to explain her plan, but the street grew crowded, too loud to whisper over, with too many people around to speak normally and expect not to be overheard. Dinner in the hotel was equally unconducive to sharing ideas, with Rupert listening attentively to the diners' conversations. Finally, in bed, they had a chance to speak alone.

She got comfortable under the covers, joining the Doctor after she'd finished getting ready, as had become their custom. They were each on their backs, arms pressed against each other in the middle of the mattress. The lamp was still on, and Rose was easily able to watch the Doctor, who was in the pyjamas she'd bought him.

"So it's Simon, then, who runs the immersion?" he asked after she got settled.

"Think so. Pretty sure. He had some paperwork I'm sure came from the sheriff, and he didn't deny it when I confronted him about it. Didn't really confirm it, either, but then he went and locked himself in the office when it was getting too obvious."

"Sounds like you're right, then," he said, smiling at her. "Good job."

"Thanks," said Rose, fighting a blush. He hadn't sounded surprised at all. It wasn't that he typically underestimated her or anything, but knowing that he expected her to do well, it was nice. "So anyway, I figured knowing who it is doesn't help nearly as much if he isn't willing to admit it or give the TARDIS back, and he said, well, you probably already know, but he said he'd get kicked out of the immersion if he broke the rules to give our ship back." She took a breath. "Something about the way he said it and the way he acted when I brought up Lea, I don't think it's the immersion he's worried about. It's Lea. If we can just… get them sorted, maybe he won't care so much about the rules."

"Domestics," said the Doctor, dismissive tone clashing with the smile still on his face.

"Yup, domestics. Or if you can get the sonic working well enough, we can try sneaking into anywhere the TARDIS might be, now that we've got it narrowed down."

The Doctor shook his head. "If they think they can't hold us in the jail or if we make trouble too often, they'll just give us the boot."

"But that would be a good thing, right? Leaving the immersion?"

"They wouldn't have to give us back the TARDIS when they did it, could hold on to it until our contract's up. Not a bad world outside, but we're better off here with places to eat and sleep and find some entertainment."

He was grinning again, and Rose smiled in return.

"Okay. We go with my plan, then?"

"The domestic plan, it is. Got any details worked out, or are we just gonna lock them in a room together and see what happens?"

Rose blushed again, recalling her own imaginings about being locked in a jail cell with the Doctor. She felt him grow unusually still beside her, and she continued talking in a rush.

"Well, I was thinking maybe we get them on a date. They probably won't go alone, but if we say we want company, like on a double date, you know, I think they'd go with us. And the shindig, that's day after tomorrow, so everyone in town's off anyway, so we just plan to go together and make sure they have plenty of chances to see how right they are together."

"And we're the ones already together to show them what they could have?"

"Well… yeah." She looked down, then back up at him. "Is that all right?"

He nodded. "I'm sure it's a good plan. Think I'll survive. You'll ask them tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah."

"Good." He turned and shut off the lamp, then settled back into bed, arm against hers again, the backs of their hands touching lightly.

"And you'd…" She paused, trying to decide how to word what she wanted to say. He'd asked for a day or two, and it had been just a day, but with the date planned, she needed to know whether this was okay. "You said you needed time to think before we… before we did things couples do, right? Will that be… Are you…" She stopped, frustrated that she couldn't get the words right. After a brief silence, the Doctor spoke.

"I'm nine hundred years old, Rose. I'm old, and you're not, and I'll still…" He swallowed and took a breath before continuing. "You're so good, and I've done things, things you can't even… You deserve better."

"Shouldn't I get some say in that?" she asked softly, turning on her side to face him. He was staring at the ceiling.

"Of course. I'm just… It scares me, Rose. You shine, and you make everyone around you better. And if I let myself… If we're together, we're gonna be _good_ , and then I'll blink, and you'll be gone. Forever."

The room grew silent. There was so much pain in his voice, Rose could feel it. Alone. She was going to leave him alone eventually, whether she wanted to or not, and he'd be hurting, and there would be nothing she could do about it.

"I'm not _that_ good, you know," she said finally. "Even if there are hundreds of reasons we shouldn't be together, I don't care. I still want to be with you."

"I know the feeling," he said with a wry smile. He turned his head to look at her, eyes reflecting the little bit of light available. "I've had a lot of practice holding myself back, keeping everything in check. Hasn't always been easy, and there have been times I've slipped, but with you… I'm the Doctor, Rose, not a saint, and if I kiss you again, I'm not going to stop."

His voice had dropped lower on the last sentence, and Rose's mouth went dry. She licked her lips in a futile effort to create more moisture. Did he mean he wasn't going to stop kissing her or that he wasn't going to stop at a kiss?

"But not yet," he continued. "I need to make sure, still need to make sure we'll both make it through this. Is that all right?"

"Yeah."

He turned his body toward hers, clasping one of her hands in the middle of the bed.

"Good night, Rose."

O~O~O

She woke slowly the next morning, comfortable, relaxed, and the perfect temperature. She wriggled, trying to stay burrowed under the covers, then stopped moving. Sleeping Rose hadn't decided to use the Doctor as a pillow again; instead, she realized, he'd wrapped himself around her.

She was on her side, facing out from the bed. His chest was against her back, an arm draped over her, pulling her close. Close enough to feel through his thin pyjamas that his restraint had, indeed, slipped.

She swallowed hard. Should she wake him? Just pretend to be asleep? He was usually awake before her, so he'd be up soon, right? She breathed carefully, trying and failing to keep hormones in check. Pretending to be asleep wouldn't work for long, not if she expected to be able to remain still, to avoid pressing back into him where he pressed against her.

His grip tightened, fingers brushing the sliver of skin between her top and bottoms, pulling her firmly against him, and her breath caught. She tried to hold still, but when he shifted his hips against hers, she groaned.

He froze.

Neither breathed for a few seconds as the Doctor woke. He loosened his hold on her, and Rose bit her lip. His chest was tense where it still touched her back. He moved his hand to her hip, ducking his head so his forehead was pressed against her shoulder. He started to take a deep breath, then froze again. He swallowed audibly, then rolled away and out of bed in one smooth motion.

"I'm sorry," he said when she turned toward him.

She tried to keep her eyes locked on his, but right at face level… She closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing, on clearing her mind, on anything but the tingling between her legs and the memory of him hard against her.

"It's all right," she managed, opening her eyes and trying not to rub her legs together.

"It's not, I… You were tossing and turning, and I put my hand on your shoulder. You seemed to sleep better then, so I left it there. Didn't think I'd fall asleep."

"It's all right," she repeated, more firmly this time. "You didn't mean to. Won't hold it against you." She smiled, sitting up and stretching. "Just been spending too much time around humans, that's all."

He smiled, finally, and she moved to retrieve her clothing and hat for the day.

"Probably right. Definitely need to stop off on some alien planet before we visit Jackie."

"An alien planet where people don't think about sex?"

The Doctor opened his mouth, then closed it again. He pasted on a grin. "Right."

She took another steadying breath, feeling almost normal despite her body being aware of every brush of silk against her skin.

"I'm just gonna go change. Do we have time to stop and talk with Lea before I have to be at the shop?"

"If you eat quickly."

O~O~O

Twenty minutes later, the Doctor and Rose walked into Rusty's, which was nearly deserted at this time of day. They didn't serve breakfast, but lunch was already cooking, flooding the bar with savory smells. Lea greeted them happily from the counter.

"Don't usually see ya'll here this early," she said, coming to meet them.

"Well, I was..." Rose started, then paused to look at the Doctor for a moment before returning her attention to Lea. " _We_ were wondering if maybe you and Simon could keep us company at tomorrow's shindig."

"Oh," said Lea, frowning in thought. "Well, I don't know…"

"I know you're not really _together_ ," said Rose, "but you're the two we know best, and it's a lot more fun to go out with a couple people you know, yeah?"

Lea smiled. "That's true." She paused. "I don't know, though. I don't know whether Si- Mr. Bartl will agree to it. Sounds an awful lot like a double date, and he's made it pretty well known he doesn't date."

"How come?" asked Rose.

"I've heard he was pretty popular when he first got here, but he wanted to focus on his work. Running the store, you know? And he's just never shown interest in anyone else that I've seen."

"Maybe he's been waiting for the right person and he's been too scared to ask her himself," said Rose, smiling at her. "There doesn't have to be any pressure though. You know he likes spending time with you, yeah? So if you don't want it to be a date, it can be just four friends having a good time."

"I'm still not sure…"

"Why don't you join us either way?" said the Doctor, placing his hands on Rose's shoulders. "Could do with someone who knows how to behave at these things."

"Okay," said Lea finally. "But what about Mr. Bartl? Should I ask him to go?"

"Would you feel better if I bring it up with him first?" asked Rose.

"Yes," said Lea, exhaling, and Rose stepped forward to take her hand when she saw it was shaking.

"It's gonna be all right," she told her. "You spend lots of time with him already, and you've spent time with him at the dance. Only difference is me and the Doctor will be there with you."

"I just don't…" She glanced at the Doctor, then dropped her voice to a whisper. "But what if there _is_ a difference? What if it ends up feeling like a date, after all?"

"Would it be so bad, if it turns into a date?" Rose wouldn't feel right following through if it was going to make her friend this uncomfortable. She watched emotions flicker across Lea's face, then felt her relax, a small smile finding its way to her mouth.

"No. It wouldn't be bad at all."

Rose smiled, squeezing Lea's hands and letting go.

"In that case, it's time for me to get to work."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is teen. Again, though, use discretion at work. This chapter is basically just teen-rated foreplay. It also ended up more like 2400 words instead of my normal ~2k. Hope nobody minds ;)

Unsure of whether Simon would stay locked in his office or pretend things were normal, Rose was relieved when she got to work and Simon seemed to be acting like himself. After their usual opening routine had finished, Simon prepared to make his typical retreat.

"Wait," Rose said. "I wanted to ask you something."

He hesitated, looking at her, down to the floor, and back to her before nodding.

"There's the shindig tomorrow," she explained, "and the Doctor and I wanted some company, yeah? And Lea's coming with us, but I really don't want her to feel like a third wheel, so we were all hoping you'd join us."

"The whole town will be there. You won't be alone."

"Yeah, but that's not quite the same, is it? The Doctor and I will be together and thought it would be nice if you and Lea came with us, together."

He was quiet for several seconds before speaking.

"And Lea has agreed to this?"

"She said she'd go, yeah. She's coming with us whether you do or not, but I really think she'd rather you be there. She enjoys your company, you have to know."

"Is this… Is this a date?" His expression was neutral, but his voice wavered.

"Do you want it to be?"

"Lea… What does she want?"

"She likes to be around you. Don't think she'd mind if it was a date, but for now, as long as you're together, I think she's happy. Think it would help if she knew how you felt."

"How I…" He stopped. "I don't…"

"You don't need to tell me. But I do think you should tell _her_."

He thought for several seconds, then nodded, his eyes unfocused. "I'll go."

"Great," said Rose, beaming at him. "Okay, let's all eat together before the dance. We can eat here if you don't want to shut down the shop."

He shook his head. "Lea is always more comfortable eating at her house."

"All right," she said, still smiling. "It's a date."

A small smile played at Simon's lips. "Maybe," he said before making his way to his office, sitting down to his paperwork without shutting the door behind him.

O~O~O

The rest of the day went quickly, and then the night crept past, the small hotel room filled almost to the breaking point with tension, want, need, but no actions or words to ease it.

Rose's exhaustion as the next evening approached was covered by excitement. She was fairly sure the night would get them a step closer to getting the TARDIS back, but even if it didn't… She was going on a date with the Doctor and with people whom she already considered friends.

"And you're really okay with acting like a proper married couple tonight?" she asked him as they approached Lea's house. "I mean," she said, reevaluating her choice of words, "at dinner and the dance and stuff."

"Yup," said the Doctor, nonchalant tone belied by the tension she could feel in his muscles.

"Won't be all that different," she said, trying to reassure him. "Just…"

"I know, Rose."

She knocked on the door, and Lea opened it with a smile.

"Come on in," she said, gesturing to the living room.

Rose handed her the salad she'd managed to put together in a bowl she'd purchased from the shop. "Simon should be here any minute," she told Lea, taking a seat on the sofa. "He just wanted to finish something up in his office."

The Doctor sat next to Rose, casually draping an arm across her shoulders. She took a deep breath and relaxed into his touch. She knew they were putting on a show, but knowing that the possibility really existed for them, that they could soon be _together_ after they'd had enough time to think, it made his touch that much more potent. When his fingers brushed the exposed skin just below her sleeve, she shivered.

"Cold?" His lips nearly grazed her ear, and his voice was low. He wrapped his arm more tightly around her, presumably to help her get warm. It worked, probably a little better than he'd intended, and heat rushed through her. If he'd had any doubt as to why she'd shivered, she was sure he knew now, but he didn't loosen his hold.

There was a knock at the door, and Lea went to let Simon in, saving Rose from having to answer the Doctor. Everyone got settled, and a strained silence fell over the room.

"So," said Lea finally, "how long have you folks been married? Don't think I've asked."

"Well, we were…" Rose stopped. They should have talked through these details, but they hadn't.

"Almost ten months," answered the Doctor, calmly. Rose turned her head far enough that she could watch him. "Wasn't the best place or time, maybe, seeing as we were in a dungeon."

Was he talking about Cardiff?

"That's an… unusual place to exchange vows," said Simon, looking to Lea for confirmation. She smiled at him.

"I don't think location really matters, not if you mean the words," Lea said.

The Doctor nodded. "There were people trying to stop us, but we agreed we'd go down fighting, together."

Rose grinned, her tongue making an appearance. "I'm so glad I met you," she said, even knowing it might not make sense to the other couple.

His face just a few inches from from hers, he returned her smile. "Better with two."

She watched him for a moment. He was so close, his arm still wrapped firmly around her, and all she'd need to do would be to turn her head just a little further, and then their lips would touch. His eyes darkened, and she saw them flicker to her mouth.

"I think supper's ready," said Lea, breaking the tension, and Rose took a brief moment to collect herself before they made their way to the dining room.

O~O~O

Dinner was uneventful, devolving into laughter and conversations about various town events and mass lockups. Rose was giggling as they approached the square. She was leaning on the Doctor's arm, and Lea walked with Simon, her grip on his arm more confident than usual.

"There was hardly even enough room to turn around," Lea was saying, "So the sheriff decided to temporarily designate every house as an extension of his office, and basically everyone just ended up having to stay inside for the rest of the sandstorm, which is what they were trying to do in the first place."

"I think it's going well," Rose whispered to the Doctor after seeing the fond looks Lea and Simon were giving each other, Simon's hand resting almost possessively over Lea's. "The laws here are something else," she said in a more normal voice.

"I think the original intent," said Simon, "if I recall correctly, was simply to ensure that folks wore hats, which, as you know, are very much out of style elsewhere. Nobody was wearing them, and the experts were complaining. The hat law was the solution."

"Not a perfect solution, maybe," said Lea, "but by now, folks are used to it and are expecting it before they arrive."

They reached the square, and there was a brief round of enthusiastic applause for the band, which started playing, dancers pairing off immediately.

Lea led them to a spot not far into the square, off to one side.

"This spot's usually the least crowded, but everyone passes by, so we can talk if we want, and we're still close enough to where we can dance." Lea glanced at Simon and then blushed.

"You two dance a lot?" asked Rose.

Lea shook her head, and Simon answered.

"I didn't think it would be proper, so I didn't ask." His tone bordered on apologetic.

"It's okay--"

"No, it… I've wanted to. I thought I shouldn't, but… Maybe I was wrong. If we're going to… date, we should do it right." He gently removed her arm so he could offer his hand with a slight bow and a shy smile. "Shall we dance?"

Blushing, smiling, Lea nodded, and the two made their way to the dance floor. Rose looked at the Doctor, beaming, her tongue visible, eyes crinkled.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," she said. "Didn't need much of a push at all." The Doctor was close since their arms were still linked, and as he watched her, a warm look in his eyes and just a hint of a smile, it felt as if he were even closer. She watched him in return, seeing his expression get more sure as his eyelids lowered slightly and his smile grew, not into a full-on grin, but into something very assured. Rose swallowed, biting her lip as heat rushed through her once more, the flames fanned further when his expression didn't change at her arousal. "Maybe we should join them, yeah?" she suggested. "Just to make sure they're still doing well."

"All right," he said, voice rough.

"Thank you for putting up with this," said Rose. "I know you don't really do domestics."

He smiled wryly. "Suppose I can tolerate them temporarily, given the right circumstances."

They walked out and took a spot near Simon and Lea as the music changed to something slow and seductive. They turned to face each other, and he pulled her against himself, immediately bringing to mind the morning she'd woken with him behind her, bringing her close with that same steady hand. Her mouth parted slightly as they began to move to the music, Rose's feet automatically performing the steps.

Everything else faded; nothing existed but her and the Doctor and the music. His pupils were dilated in the low light, and she felt her cheeks warm, mirroring how she felt elsewhere, particularly where they touched after he pulled her even closer. Everywhere they were in contact simmered. When he bent his head toward hers, she angled her own helpfully, her breath catching just before their lips touched.

Whistles and hoots brought her crashing back to earth.

"Get a room!" someone shouted jovially, and Rose pulled back slightly, ducking her head, cheeks flaming.

"Not talking to us," said the Doctor with a chuckle. "Look."

Rose turned, and she saw Lea and Simon, snogging. The two pulled apart looking both happy and stunned. They left the dance floor, returning to the spot where they'd been standing before. Rose looked back at the Doctor, who tilted his head questioningly. She nodded, and they joined their friends, Rose breathing slowly to try to tamp down her body's responses further than the abrupt distraction had managed. She was thoroughly aware of the Doctor's hand, fingers laced with hers.

"That didn't look much like dancing," said Rose, grinning at Lea.

"We, umm…" Lea looked at Simon, her cheeks pink.

"You don't have to explain," Rose said. "You look happy."

"I agree," said Simon, smiling down at the woman next to him.

"So what's next for the night, then?" asked Rose.

"Well, we, uh…" Lea stopped and cleared her throat. "We were thinking we had some things we needed to talk about before we get carried away again, so we are going to go ahead and leave so we can do that. Just talking for tonight." Her attention shifted to Rose, her eyes wide. "I mean, if that's okay. I know you wanted company, and here we are--"

"Go on," said Rose, laughing. "Go do what you need to do." The Doctor started stroking her hand with his thumb, sending tingles down her spine. "We might head out soon, anyway. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"We'll see you tomorrow," confirmed Simon. He and Lea exchanged looks one more time, then left.

Rose looked at the Doctor, happy. "What do you think? Should we stay here?"

His mouth was curved, his face relaxed as he looked back at her, but his eyes… She licked her lips, and his eyes chased the movement.

"Let's go back," he said, low voice immediately, causing her heart to skip a beat, reigniting her body's almost urgent response to the extended time in contact with him.

"Okay."

They left the square, walking along the empty street toward the hotel. The Doctor continued to stroke her hand.

"Are we…" managed Rose before she stopped. Thanks to the events of the past couple days, she no longer thought the attraction between them was imagined, but right now, she felt like she might ignite from the heat between them, made harder to ignore with his thumb's deliberate movements back and forth, and they were headed back to their hotel at least two hours before they'd normally sleep. What, exactly, were they about to do? Was it really what it seemed?

They finished the short walk to the hotel before she could find her words, but after she'd had ample time to imagine what they might be doing, each option bringing her increasingly closer to doing something she might regret, to asking for more than he was ready to give. When he stopped in the same spot they'd shared that first kiss, she tried not to squirm under his gaze.

"What is it, Rose?" He was facing her, their hands still linked.

Rose swallowed. "Are we gonna--"

She was interrupted by his lips pressing firmly against hers, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her close. He toyed with her top lip, then the bottom, swiping his tongue along the sensitive bit of skin just inside her lower lip. She gasped, wrapping her own arms around him, pressing herself into the evidence that he might be imagining the same things as she had just been. He took the opportunity to stroke her tongue with his, and she reciprocated, enjoying the taste that held the same sort of spice as his scent. He slowed the kiss, then stopped it, pulling his mouth about a centimeter from hers before kissing her again, briefly, gently.

"That okay?" he asked, whether in response to her unfinished question or the kiss, she wasn't sure. Either way…

"Yes," she breathed. He smiled, then leaned toward her again. "Wait." He stopped. "You said that… that if you kissed me again, you weren't gonna stop."

He raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes still hooded. "Problem?"

Rose shook her head. "Only if you change your mind."

"Not gonna happen," he said, crashing his lips to hers once more.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betas: scullywolf and resile
> 
> This chapter is adult. NSFW. If you don't want to read the adult parts but are enjoying the story, wait for the next (and probably final) chapter.

They managed to stop kissing for long enough to make it to their room. The Doctor pressed Rose against the door immediately after it was shut, thoroughly exploring her mouth, his movements still deliberate as if he'd thought long about them. One hand rested lightly on her hip, the other at the back of her neck, and her hands pulled him closer by his jacket.

When she stopped to catch her breath, lips tingly and swollen, she was satisfied to see how quickly he was breathing, to feel his hearts racing against palms she couldn't remember moving to his chest.

"Thought you had special lungs or something like that," she managed, "that you didn't need to breathe as much as us humans."

"Have to concentrate for that," he said, gently tilting her head. "Mind was elsewhere," he murmured along her jaw, continuing to kiss his way down her neck. She gasped when he sucked the skin above her collarbone, not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough to bring a rush of heat to where his lips touched, an answering bolt of desire racing to her core.

"Doctor," she sighed, and he immediately returned his attention to her mouth, as if he were trying to taste his name on her lips.

He shuffled backward, pulling her with him, until the back of his legs pressed against the bed. He unfastened the bonnet that had fallen askew, letting it drop to the floor, and she pushed his hat off his head, her fingers running through short, soft hair, its texture against the sensitive palm of her hand serving to send another wave of want through her. She sucked at his bottom lip, and his hips pressed against hers in response, causing her to moan.

Rose was suddenly very aware of the layers of clothing between them. She slid his jacket off his shoulders, freezing when he stilled.

"You're sure?" His voice was strained, the heat in his eyes warring with the first flash of uncertainty she'd seen in him that evening. How could he doubt how much she cared for him? How much she wanted him, wanted _this_?

"Positive," she said firmly, and she felt him relax under her hands, his blue eyes bright in the lamp's light. He watched her, the warmth in his gaze filling her with security, with longing for everything they'd been dancing around. "Are _you_ sure?" She held her breath for the second he took to answer.

"Yes," he said, voice even and certain.

Rose smiled and slid her hands under his shirt, watching him, seeing his pupils widen. She pushed the clothing up and off him, with his help. As it dropped to the floor, she kissed him, then pulled back far enough to study what she'd unearthed, running her fingers along his chest, his abs. The Doctor held still, radiating awareness rather than reluctance, watching every move she made with an almost predatory intensity.

Rose dipped her fingers into his waistband, pulling him close for another kiss, this one hungrier than the last. She stood on tiptoes, then moved her hands back to his chest and gently pressed him backward until he sat on the bed. Returning her hands to his trousers, she unbuttoned them and lowered the zipper, licking her lips when a quick peek revealed he'd not had much room to spare. She moved to try to maneuver him out of the last of his clothing, but she stopped when he wrapped his fingers around her wrist.

"My turn," he said, reaching for the side zipper on her dress and sliding it down. A rush of heat and moisture accompanied the slow metallic click of the zipper's teeth and the cool air hitting her skin. The dress dropped to the floor, leaving her bare but for a pair of pink knickers. Any possibility for embarrassment was chased away by the admiring disbelief with which he looked her over, his gaze caressing every part of her. "Beautiful," he breathed, putting his hands on her waist when she put hers on his shoulders.

"For a human, you mean?" she asked, leaning in for another kiss.

"Just beautiful," he said before closing the space between them, pulling her down to his lap for a better angle, hands skimming her back. She leaned into him, her nipples grazing his chest and pebbling further, and he twisted around, pulling her with him, so she was on her back. They scooted up toward the pillows without ceasing contact, and then the Doctor pulled away slightly.

Their hips pressed together delightfully, abdomens touching, and he used his arms to hold his weight off her chest.

"I've pictured this, you know," he told her, his biceps flexing as he shifted enough to be able to brush a lock of hair from her face. "Pictured us. But I never imagined…" He tasted her lips, pressing and sucking gently before pulling back again. "You're fantastic, Rose."

She smiled, then tilted her hips against his. "Not so bad yourself."

His eyes shut a moment as he struggled for control. When she repeated the motion, he groaned, angling his hips and pressing back against her, rubbing her just right. She gasped, and he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She reached down, frantically trying to get him out of the rest of his clothes. He lifted his hips to help, then pulled and kicked trousers and pants off and out of the way. He pressed into her again, and Rose was aware that her knickers were soaked thoroughly, that he could probably feel her moisture against his erection.

She dug her fingers into the curves she'd admired through his jeans.

"Please, Doctor," she said, nearly a whimper, as she looked up at him.

In return, he smirked. "Not yet," he told her, and she arched her back when he fastened his mouth on her nipple without further warning. He lingered a moment before pulling far enough away to speak. "The readier you are, the better it'll be."

She drew in a shaky breath as he moved his attentions to her other side. "I'm ready. I've been ready."

"I know," he admitted, crawling backward along her body, trailing kisses along her ribcage, down her belly, inhaling deeply before sliding her knickers off. "I've smelled it on you before," he said, moving back up and lying on his side, against her, facing her, one hand propping up his head, the other deliberately circling one nipple, then the other, not quite touching. "Knowing for sure I caused it, though…" He ran his hand along the path his mouth had followed a minute earlier, slowing when he approached where she ached for him. "It's intoxicating."

He ran a finger through her moisture, not quite breaching her entrance, then rubbed small, firm circles over her clit. She lifted her hips into his touch, breathing erratic.

"Oh, God."

"Finally impressed?"

"Oh, shut up," she said, unable to muster any strength to put behind the words, her entire being focused on where he was touching her, _the Doctor_ touching her as she'd imagined, as she hadn't been touched in a long time, and never quite so adeptly. She watched him watch her until her eyes forced themselves shut, exquisite tension building, tightening, growing until she finally burst. "Oh, f--"

Her back arched off the mattress as her muscles clenched and pleasure spread through her, her mind going somehow fuzzy and focused, lazy attention to detail as she relaxed back into the bed informing her that the orgasm hadn't been enough, that she needed to be filled. He positioned himself on top of her, erection brushing against skin, and he seemed cooler here, too, than human blokes. He adjusted his weight, ready to press into her, when she stopped him.

"Wait," she said, hands on his chest. "What about protection?"

He shook his head, his neck showing the strain of holding himself still at her entrance. "Don't need it. Not compatible, not without genetic modification."

She bit her lip, belatedly realizing she'd not had a good look at him. "Anything else that's different there?"

"Not much," he said, jerking his hips when she snaked a hand down to him, wrapping it around his erection experimentally. He seemed to be shaped like she was used to. She slid her hand along his length. He wasn't terribly long, though certainly long enough. He was quite thick, though, and as she stroked him, it felt as if a surge of blood pushed through, widening him slightly before settling back to where it started.

"It's cold," she said, grasping him more firmly as he pulsed again, coolness running from base to tip, followed by warmth.

"Helps stimulate… both…" He seemed to be having trouble forming words, and Rose lined him back up with her entrance.

"Show me," she said, tilting her hips helpfully. He locked eyes with hers. then entered her slowly. So, so slowly, stretching her as he went, the cool pulsing both soothing her and further arousing her. She moaned appreciatively when he was fully inside her.

"All right?" he asked, kissing her lightly.

"Yeah, but I need you to…" she gasped, arching against him as he pulled out nearly all the way, then thrust forward again. "Yes," she answered, wrapping her legs around him.

He moved steadily -- in, pause, out and in, pause -- watching her, until she was squirming against him when he was fully seated.

"Please, Doctor!" she said again, and he finally sped up, his pelvic bone rubbing into her clit at each thrust. He felt even better inside her than she'd imagined, and each stroke brought her closer until she finally clenched around him, muscles tightening and releasing. Breath catching, she tumbled over the edge once more, coming even harder than before.

"Oh, Rose," he said, hoarse, as his movements grew erratic, the pulsing faster, extending her orgasm into a gentle plateau. After a few more thrusts, he joined her, spilling cool liquid inside of her, and she finally fell back to earth. He still held much of his weight off her chest, but he'd relaxed against her, and she let her legs down, rubbing her hands along his back.

After a few minutes, when their hearts stopped racing, he pulled out of her and flopped onto his back.

"That was…" started Rose.

"It was," agreed the Doctor. He grabbed his pyjama bottoms and carefully cleaned the mess they'd made, starting with her and finishing with himself. Rose managed to make her wobbly legs function for long enough to reposition herself under the covers, still naked, and the Doctor joined her, taking her hand after turning off the lamp.

Between the leftover tingling and the fact that she'd not truly believed she'd have sex with the Doctor until it happened, she felt as if she were floating, almost detached from the pleasantly contented numbness.

"This wasn't a dream, right?"

"No," he said, running his thumb along her hand reassuringly.

It had been too good to be a dream. "And we're not… It wasn't just this once, right?"

He rolled to face her. "Did say I wasn't gonna stop."

"Not even after we get the TARDIS back?" She wasn't sure exactly where the sudden insecurity was coming from.

"You're not getting rid of me, Rose," he said, and she smiled, relaxing again. "You told me I was stuck with you, and I plan to hold you to that."

"Okay," she said, turning toward him. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Even if I don't deserve you."

"Hey, none of that," she said, wiggling closer until she could put her arms around him. He returned the embrace without hesitation. "We make each other better."

"We do at that," he agreed.

She breathed in his scent, ducking her head into his chest and relaxing into his arms, feeling safe and protected and loved.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over! Thank you so much, readers, for sticking with me; commenters, for making my days better; my betas, scullywolf and resile, for your awesome patience; and Stuf0flegnds for the original prompt that sparked this whole thing.

Rose woke again with heartbeats under her ear, her leg flung over the Doctor, his arms around her. She smiled as the events of the previous week, of last night in particular, came rushing back. Adjusting her head so she could see his face, she found the Doctor watching her, already awake.

"Sleep well?" he asked. His eyes were bright, and he seemed relaxed.

"Mmm," Rose answered, stretching as best she could without letting go, arching against him, muscles in her thighs and abdomen reminding her they'd been used nicely after a lack of practice. "You?"

"Slept fine, me. Woke up when you decided I needed a blanket in the form of Rose Tyler."

"Not a bad sort of blanket, right?" she asked, pulling her leg upward along his until she reached where he was hard against her inner thigh.

"Not the worst blanket I've had. Bit off center."

"Think I can fix that," she said, rolling atop him properly, arms on either side of the Doctor's. She took a moment to collect herself after she'd repositioned, grinning at him widely when she saw his eyes had grown dark and hooded, his lips parted slightly. "Better?" she let the tip of her tongue show through, and he immediately lifted his head so he could kiss her, neither speaking again until they were quite a bit warmer than they'd started.

O~O~O

After a quick breakfast, the Doctor and Rose made their way to the general store. They entered together and saw Simon and Lea at the counter.

Lea was animated, earnestly explaining something to Simon, pointing at various papers to illustrate her point while he looked at her fondly.

"What if the demand for cloth rises again?" he asked her. "It is hard to tell when we will get another group of folk who think they should be more traditional and make their own clothes."

"It isn't as if the clothes will expire if you have a few extras in stock. They take more time to acquire than the products you can get from within the immersion, so just store the extras in-- Oh, hello, Rose, Doctor." Lea smiled at them and came around the counter. "Sorry, didn't hear you come in."

"Good morning," said Rose, letting go of the Doctor's arm to give Lea a hug.

"Did you end up staying at the dance much longer? We went back after we'd talked." She looked toward the men and then lowered her voice. "It was a little too difficult to be alone with him without doing anything, well, you know." She blushed.

"Not ready to go that far?"

Lea looked at Simon again, small smile on her face, cheeks still pink. "He's very traditional in a lot of ways and would regret it without our being married first. Did you... I mean..." She turned a brighter red. "Was being married important to the two of you, before doing... that?"

Simon and the Doctor were speaking, but the Doctor, with his superior hearing, seemed alert, one ear angled toward the women. Rose smiled in his direction, none of her earlier flash of uncertainty resurfacing.

"We didn't really talk about it before," she answered. "We'd already promised forever, though, in our own ways." She remembered his bringing her to the end of her world, remembered thinking they might find their own end surrounded by the Gelth. "So having it be official according to some paperwork, it wasn't really a priority."

The Doctor relaxed, and Rose grinned. She'd need to make sure she talked to her mum before Jackie got a chance to rip into him about marriage. It didn't matter to Rose, not as long as they were together, and she could just see the panic he might show at the level of domestics a wedding would entail.

He turned to face her, a warm expression on his face, his eyes soft and a smile at his lips. He certainly had been handling domestics remarkably well on this trip.

"I can see that, you two following your own rules rather than everybody else's. Simon enjoys rules, being proper, and I typically find them comforting as well, though there is a time and place to follow them."

Rose looked at her friend hopefully. If Lea was on their side in getting the TARDIS back, maybe the TARDIS would be returned sooner than she'd thought.

The Doctor and Simon joined them, and Simon cleared his throat, looking a little uncomfortable.

"I was thinking," he said, "about how you folks want your ship back so you can leave."

"We really do," said Rose. "I mean, it's not that we don't like it here. This town is great, but we never meant to stay."

"And I don't suppose we could convince you to stay for the terms of your impromptu contract?" Simon's tone was resigned, his face neutral as he looked between the Doctor and Rose.

"Not willingly, no," said the Doctor, smiling tightly. Rose laced her fingers with his, and he quickly reciprocated.

"That's what we thought." Simon looked at Lea, and his expression softened. "So," he continued, turning his attention back toward them, "I have a proposition for you."

"I'm all ears," said the Doctor, and Rose fought laughter, listening to Simon.

"There are specific circumstances under which I am allowed to release people from their contracts early without any repercussions, without any confiscation of goods. I'm willing to report that you fall into one of these categories, under the condition that you don't let anybody know the conditions are false."

"We can make ourselves scarce if we get our ship back. Don't plan to advertise your help."

"But what happens if someone finds out on their own?" asked Rose.

"I've agreed to leave with him," said Lea, placing her hand on his arm, "if he's forced to leave early."

"I'd rather not leave," he clarified, "but I've been newly reminded that doing what's proper and doing what's right aren't always the same. Keeping you here when I have the power to let you leave isn't right, and I now feel like I can handle the consequences if the deception is caught."

"Appreciate that," said the Doctor.

"Really," added Rose. "You don't know how much this means to us."

"Being able to travel the stars as often as you like," said Lea, a dreamy look crossing her face, "it must be amazing."

"Fantastic," said Rose, beaming, looking toward the Doctor, who rolled his eyes at her imitation before returning her smile. "But the things that happen when we've landed, those are good, too."

"I can see that being true." Lea smiled.

"At any rate," said Simon, gesturing toward his office, "your ship is right this way."

"Seriously?" asked Rose. "It's been in your office the whole time?"

Simon ran a hand through his hair as they walked. "In a way. I've two offices. It was most convenient to have them connected. That way," he said, moving a stack of papers from his desk and lifting a panel Rose couldn't see until after it was moving, "nobody gets suspicious if I have to attend to additional duties during regular work hours."

He typed in a long series of numbers on the newly-revealed keypad; Rose lost count after fifteen, the practiced movements of his hands making it difficult to discern individual buttons as they were pressed. Inaudibly, a larger panel in the floor opened at the back of the office.

She glanced at the Doctor. They'd been so close to the TARDIS the whole time. Would he be upset they hadn't found it earlier?

His expression was one of relief.

"I've disabled the shielding just to your ship," said Simon, closing the desk panel and starting down the stairway that had been revealed. "Don't try to touch anything else down here. Some of the items are potentially dangerous, hence the individual shields."

In the large, artificially lit, windowless basement, was an assortment of gadgets, advanced-looking transports, and many forms of televisions. In front of her, the Doctor walked straight toward the TARDIS, stepping into the ship without a word, leaving the door open behind him.

"I guess we'll be off, then," said Rose turning toward Lea and Simon. "Thanks, for helping us out while we were here, and for risking your job to help us leave."

"Do be careful," said Lea, reaching forward to wrap Rose in a hug, "and maybe try to avoid getting stranded somewhere less pleasant."

"We'll try," she said, smiling.

"Safe travels," said Simon, nodding, taking Lea's hand.

"Thanks," said Rose again. "I hope everything works out right for you two. You deserve it."

"You're welcome to come visit again," offered Lea. Simon looked unsure.

"I don't think we'll be back here. I mean, it's great, but just in case we got stuck again, yeah? But maybe we can find you after your contracts are up."

Simon looked a little more comfortable with this. "We'll be the only Bartls in Priatsk."

Lea pinkened and grinned widely at Simon.

"I'll remember that," said Rose. "Thank you again, for everything." She hugged Lea once more, then turned and walked onto the TARDIS for the first time in a very eventful week.

She waved at Simon and Lea one last time, then shut the door behind her. The Doctor was at the console, moving from one station to the next, seeming intent on making sure everything looked right.

"Can we take off with the obstruction field keeping things from working right?" she asked, approaching the jump seat.

"Of course," said the Doctor, moving around the console to another set of levers. "The field can't affect anything beyond the door. We'll be able to leave momentarily."

"That's good," said Rose, taking a breath. It was good to be back in the TARDIS. The week had been long, different, weird, _good_ , and challenging, from the moment the TARDIS had been replaced by horses and a cart. "Oh! What about the horses?" asked Rose.

The Doctor's hands stilled. "What?"

"We dropped the horses off at the stable and never went back and got them."

He turned to look at her, face blank. "You're not taking any more strays on board."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Don't think a horse would much care for that. But what's gonna happen to them?"

"Either Simon Bartl will give them to the next person who arrives with the wrong sort of transport," he said, resuming his actions on the console, "or the stablemaster will repossess them to repay what he's owed for boarding. They'll be treated well enough either way."

"Okay." She moved to stand next to the Doctor. "Can I help?" She gestured at the console.

The Doctor looked at her, then nodded. He pointed to a lever in front of her. "When I say, push that forward."

"Right," she said, putting her hand on it and waiting as he moved around the console again.

"Now," he said, and she pushed it forward, the Doctor grinning at her obvious delight. The ship shuddered, then stopped. "Back in the vortex," he said, walking around to where she stood and leaning back against the console, arms crossed. "Powell Estate next?"

"Well, actually," she said, playing with an earring, "I thought maybe we could go somewhere else first. Maybe find something new before we go see my mum."

"Changed your mind?"

She shrugged. "Figured maybe we'd had enough of the domestic for a little while."

His expression softened, his eyes warm. "Come here," he said gruffly, uncrossing his arms, and Rose stepped into his embrace. "One adventure, then we'll go see your mum."

She giggled.

"What?" asked the Doctor.

"Just picturing her face when she sees us together again."

The Doctor tensed slightly, and Rose pulled far enough away to see his face.

"Not gonna slap me again, is she?"

Rose laughed again, then leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips.

"She shouldn't, not so long as you land us at the right time. Besides, she was already sure we were shagging."

"Let's not talk about shagging and your mother in the same sentence."

"How about we stop talking about my mum, then?" she said, kissing him once more, and he proved his agreement by eagerly returning the kiss.

She cleared her throat a few minutes later, her cheeks warm. "Maybe we can check out the bedrooms before that adventure? You know, make sure nothing changed while we were gone?"

The unguarded simmer of heat in his gaze reflected just how much _had_ changed since they'd been here last. She was glad they still seemed to be themselves, still the Doctor and Rose, just with some additional activities they could share together.

"That sounds fantastic," said the Doctor, and Rose wholeheartedly agreed.


End file.
